Hard to Let go
by Silva Bramley
Summary: With a new relationship and new friends, Kiba and Ino return to Konoha. Ino has to face several challenges in the forms of Shikamaru, A rude new girl, and some s-class missing nin. Sequel to Beauty and the Beast.
1. Surgury?

**A/N: Yay! First chapter! This chapter is short like all of the ones from the first story. But these chapters will get longer as the story progresses, because it deals with ALL of Konoha. **

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The blonde hokage sighed and ran her hand through her hair. Around her was a wall of papers, surrounding her in a paperwork fortress. She sighed again.

"Ino and Kiba are here," Shizune said, leaning in the doorway, her hand on the door knob. Tsunade sat up and put her hands together.

"Let them in," She said. Shizune nodded and disappeared for a moment. When she reappeared she was leading Kiba, Akamaru, and Ino into the room. Tsunade's eyebrows rose when she saw Ino's heavily bandaged arm and the occasional light bandaging covering the rest of her body, while Kiba seemed to be just as healthy as he was when he'd left. Tsunade noticed that they were stading closer together, body language telling her that they must have grown close during the mission.

"Tsunade-sama, we just returned from our mission," Ino was the first to break the silence.

"Were you successful?" Tsunade asked, leaning forward in her chair a little. Ino smiled and nodded her head.

"Yes, the mission was finished successfully," Ino said. Tsunade pressed her hands, which were still together, against her chin.

"Why is your hand so heavily bandaged?" Tsunade asked. Ino looked at Kiba before answering.

"Well...the clan that was hired to kill Odori dealed with poison. I had an unfortunate encounter with one of their kunai. The medic-nin there did the best they could, but they could only isolate the poision in my hand," She said. Tsuande dropped both of her hands, they both slaped down on her desk.

"They isolated it in your hand?" Tsunade asked (more demanded), her eyes flaming with anger. Ino shrunk back, and looked nervous. Tsunade knew the young blonde was overly confident and wasn't easily frightened. Of course, Tsunade probaly did look pretty scary right now.

"Ye-yea," Ino replied. Tsunade pulled a book down from the shelf and began flipping the pages. Tsunade waved her hands in the direction of Kiba and Akamaru.

"Kiba and Akamaru, you're dismissed. Ino stay here. We need to get you into surgury right away," Tsunade said, still flipping quickly through the pages. Kiba looked stunned.

"Surgury?" Kiba asked. Tsunade nodded.

"Yes, so get out of here. I bet you're tired. Why don't you go rest," Tsunade said. Kiba hesitated and looked at Ino, but was forced out by Shizune who looked slightly flustered.

"Ino. We need to hurry up and get you into sugury. The longer the poision is isolated in your hand, the more risk of losing permanent use of your hand," Tsuande informed the kunoichi.

"If I lost use of my hand...I wouldn't be a kunoichi anymore...my jutsu requires both hands," Ino said, her voice softer and quiter than usual.

"That's why you need to hurry up and come to the hospital with me," Tsunade said, pulling the girl behind her as she left the Hokage Place. The hospital their destination.

---

Tenten was leaning over, her hands on her knees, and breathing heavy. When she was found her breath again and her heart rate calmed a bit, she straightened back up and smiled. "I got it!" She said. Rock Lee ran to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"That was wonderful Tenten! You are a wonderful, youthful kunoichi!" Rock Lee congratulated her. She smiled and turned to Neji.

"What do you think Neji?" Tenten asked.

"Hn," Was his reply. Tenten felt disappointed, but what had she expected? Neji to proclaim his undieing love for her and naming her the best kunoichi ever? No, a simple 'that was good, Tenten. Nice work!' would have sufficed. Tenten sighed, but tried not to look as disappointed as she felt.

"Want to go again?" Tenten asked. She loved training with her teammates. Rock Lee surprised her and declined.

"I have to go meet my lovely Sakura-blossom. She should be on her way to the hospital right now," Rock Lee said. Tenten nodded, still shocked that he would decline training.

"Ok, have fun," Tenten said. After Rock Lee left, Tenten turned to face Neji. "Do you want to go again?" She asked. Neji nodded and stood in front of the target. Tenten was trying to hit the target, while Neji was trying to protect it. A smile covered Tenten's face and she pulled out a scroll.

---

Kiba ran down the street, collecting wierd looks from people as they stepped out of the way to avoid the brown haired shinobi. Kiba's eyes searched and he gathered the scents around him. He searched for a good 15 minutes when he finally found Shikamaru and Chouji. They were both leaving the barbeque place with Asuma. Kiba panted for a few moments after stopping in front of them.

"What is it Kiba?" Asuma asked him.

"Ino...has...to...have...surgury...," Kiba said in between pants and gasps. An alarmed look was present on all of their faces. Even Shikamaru's.

"Surgury? Why?" Chouji asked.

"I'm not sure. Tsunade got upset when she found out that the medic-nin from the Waterfall Country isolated the poision in Ino's hand," Kiba said, having caught his breath. This caused Ino's teammates to look more alarmed and worried.

"Poision?" Chouji asked. Kiba nodded.

"Is she at the hospital right now?" Shikamaru asked. Kiba nodded again. Shikamaru looked at his teammate and sensai. "Let's go," he said. The four of them hurried down the street, heading towards the hospital.

---

"Sakura!"

Sakura looked up, hearing her name called. "Yes, Hokage-sama?" She asked, seeing her walking down the hallway with Ino.

"Ino has to go into surgury, please prepare the room," Tsunade ordered. Sakura eyes flickered to her best friend and greatest enemy. Ino was bandaged more than usual. Usually she just had her body wrappings, but her hand was heavily bandaged along with the other bandaging covering her body lightly. After studying her friend Sakura nodded and headed off.

She had been learning alot under her new sensai, Tsunade-sama, and she enjoyed helping out at the hospital. She walked into the room and began preparing the room. What had happened to Ino?


	2. I'm staying

**A/N: Ok, this chapter is longer than the last one. Yay! But only by a hunderd words...lol. Anyway. I don't think I said in the first chapter that this is a sequel. So if you haven't read Beauty and the Beast then you should l probably go back and read it. ;)**

**Dedication: My brother who helped me when I couldn't remember if Naruto called Lee fuzzy brows or bushy brow. I love ya dude.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. But I sure am addicted to it. **

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Kiba stalked back and forth in the hospital waiting room. He had tried sitting down, but he couldn't stay still. He paused in his pacing to glance out the window. The day was a beautiful one. It would have been a perfect day to go on a walk with Akamaru. Kiba growled at no one in particular, hard to believe that the day could be so beautiful. He wanted the sky to display his feelings. He wanted it to rain, thunder and lightning would work too. How could it be so sunny outside when Ino was inside, in surgury? 

"Kiba," Shikamaru said. Kiba turned to face him. "Why are you so worried?" He asked Kiba. Kiba's facial features changed into a look of confusion.

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't I be worried? Ino is in surgury!" Kiba said. Shikamaru looked at Chouji, and the exchanged a look, before he looked back at Kiba and answered.

"Usually you and Ino can't stand each other. You fight the entire the time you are in each other's presence. So why are you so worried that she's in surgury? Your mission is done," Shikamaru said. Kiba's eyes darkened. (if that's possible, lol)

"Are you saying I should leave?" Kiba asked, his voice rising.

"I doubt Ino would be over-joyed to see you waiting for her to leave surgury," Shikamaru said. Kiba felt anger rise up in him. Shikamaru was sitting there, acting like he knew everything. Everything about Ino, everything about him. Suddenly Kiba grinned at Shikamaru and answered him lightly.

"We'll just see when she's out of surgury," Kiba said. Shikamaru's brow furrowed, and Kiba couldn't help but look smug. He was just glad that for once he knew something the lazy genius didn't.

There was a silence, each of them avoiding each other's eyes and not moving. Finally Kiba glanced back out the window, and then began to pace again. The soft sound of his footsteps filling the silence and the spell over them seemed to be broken. Shikamaru leaned back and closed his eyes muttering something about girls being troublesome. While Chouji opened a bag of chips and began to stuff them into his mouth.

"Kiba," Shikamaru said again. Kiba stopped pacing too turn and look at the dark haired shinobi.

"Yah?" Kiba asked. Shikamaru opened one eye to look at Kiba.

"I didn't mean to be rude. I was just looking out for Ino. I don't think the first thing she would want after she gets out of surgury is to see someone that she doesn't get along with," Shikamaru said.

"Well, you have no right to tell me to leave. And I'm staying," Kiba said, and returned to pacing.

---

"NARUTO!" Lee called down the street. The said Ninja turned to see his energetic friend running towards him. In a matter of seconds he was standing before him, not even out of breath.

"Bushy Brow," Naruto said, holding up his hand in greeting, with the signature Naruto smile.

"Have you seen my lovely Sakura-Blossom?" Lee asked the hyperactive blonde. Naruto shook his head.

"I haven't seen her today. Actually, I haven't seen her all week. I just got back from a mission," Naruto said. When he said the last part he lowered his voice, in the fashion that he was sharing a big secret with Lee.

"A mission?" Lee asked, intrigued merely because Naruto had lowered his voice. The blonde leaned closer to the dark haired boy and spoke quietly.

"Yah. Baa-chan sent me on an important mission," He shared. Lee looked at him for a few minutes.

"And-?" Lee asked.

"I'm not allowed to tell you about it. It's top secret," Naruto said, leaning back and looking smug. Tears began to flow down Lee's face.

"You're keeping the mission a secret like you were ordered to by Hokage-sama! It must be hard not to tell! You are indeed an honorable Ninja!" Lee said, holding his fist in front of him with a sunset in the background.

"Are you...ok?" A girl's voice came from behind Lee. Lee turned to see a pretty girl with red hair standing there. She had a hat, and a section of her hair stuck out if it.

"Who are you? I don't think I've ever met you before!" Lee said in his usual energetic manner. Naruto laughed and he walked over to stand beside her.

"This is Sasame. I brought her back with me from my," His voice lowered again, "Top secret mission." Naruto informed Lee.

"It's nice to meet you Sasame. You are very youthful!" Lee said. Sasame looked at Naruto, her eyebrow raised.

"That's his way of complimenting you," Naruto whispered in her ear.

"Ahh," Sasame said. She turned back to face Lee and smiled. "it's nice to meet you too...uh..."

"I'm Rock Lee!" He said. His thumb shot up and his smile gleamed, Lee had gone into the nice guy poise. Sasame giggled.

"It's nice to meet you Rock Lee," She said.

"Lee, have you seen Baa-chan?" Naruto asked. Lee shook his head.

"No, but if she wasn't at her office, then she's probably at the hospital," Lee answered. Naruto nodded.

"Sakura-chan will probably be there too," Naruto said.

"Then I think I'll go with you two to the hospital!" Lee shouted.

---

Sakura walked towards into the waiting room. She saw Kiba stalking up and down the length of the room, looking crazy with worry. While Shikamaru was dozing lightly and Chouji was finishing up a bag of chips. Asuma wasn't in the room, he was probably outside smoking. Smoking wasn't allowed in the hospital, of course.

At the sound of the door, Kiba froze and looked up. He quickly crossed the room and grabbed Sakura's arm. Not in a tight hurting way, but in the way that meant he was trying to get her attention. She looked at him, letting him know that she was paying attention to him.

"Is Ino ok?" Kiba asked. Sakura hesitated for a second. Why did Kiba care about Ino? Did he even know her? Sakura looked at Kiba, she didn't really know the dog shinobi that well either.

"She'll be in surgury for another hour. Those medic-nin really messed things up when they stored the poison in her hand. After that she'll be resting for the night and probably won't wake up till tomarrow afternoon," Sakura told all of them. Kiba sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"When the medic-nin explained it to me, they made it sound like a good idea. The only thing they could do. If they didn't isolate the poision, they said that Ino would have died. They had a difficult time sealing the poision," Kiba said.

"You were there when it happened?" Sakura asked, surprised.

"Yah, we were on a mission. We had a bad encounter with a poision clan," Kiba answered.

"It doesn't look like you were harmed," Sakura observed. She watched as his facial expressions were tinted by guilt.

"Well, It's a long story, but we got seperated. When I finally reached her, she had already beat the guy, but not before he had poisioned her," Kiba said. Sakura felt bad for asking, but she had been curious. She'd ask Tsunade-sama for details later.

"Well, Tsunade is working on her now, so she'll be fine," Sakura said, patting Kiba on the arm. She still couldn't shake the shock that Kiba was anxiously waiting for Ino to get out of surgury. It was probably because he felt guilty. "You guys can go home if you want and come back tomarrow. She won't wake up until then," She said. They all nodded, but no one left.


	3. Ever

**A/N: Sorry this took so long to post. I just got Sims 2, and what can I say, I'm an obsessed person.**

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She didn't remember falling asleep. She didn't remember waking up. All she remembered was realizing. She remembered suddenly being aware. It took her a few minutes to determine where she was. She was in a hospital room. But why? Another few moments. She had been in surgery. Surgery for her hand. The poison. It was all coming back to her.

She looked down at her hand. "_Move_," She demanded. "_Move_!" The sentence echoed in her mind. "_Please move_," Her brain pleaded with her hand. But her hand didn't move. Tears began to gather at her eyes as she tried to draw her hand into a fist. The tears slid down her face as she tried to wiggle her fingers. Her hand continued to lay still on the white blanketed mattress.

Laughter met her ears and she looked up. The hokage sat in a chair beside her hospital bed, caught in a fit of giggles. Ino's face turned red with embarrassment and anger.

"Don't laugh at me," Ino said in a hurt tone. It took a few minutes, but eventually Tsunade's laughter subsided.

"I'm not laughing at you. It's just-," Tsunade started, but then snorted and began to laugh again. Ino scowled.

"It's not funny! I can never be a kunoichi now! I'll have to give up my life as a Shinobi!" Ino said, her voice raising. This only caused the blonde hokage to laugh harder. She grabbed her sides and tossed her head back. Ino clenched her uninjured hand into a fist and fought the urge to slap the obnoxious hokage.

"You're just like Naruto," Ino muttered. What seemed like hours later, even though it was mere minutes, Tsunade regained her composure. "Are you done laughing at me now?" Ino asked, her pride injured.

"I'm sorry. It's just you were so dramatic! Sitting there, staring at your hand. And then crying. Oh, and my life as a kunoichi is going to end!" Tsunade said and the laughter bubbled out of her again. Ino's face was hot with embarrassment and she groaned.

"It's not funny to laugh at a crippled person," Ino sniffed, feeling sorry for herself. Tsunade covered her mouth, smothering her laughter.

"You're not crippled," Tsunade said between gasps of laughter.

"But my hand," Ino said, looking down at it.

"Will be fully functional after the drugs wear off fully," Tsunade answered after she composed herself again. Ino couldn't help but smile.

"Really?!" She was excited at the thought that she didn't have to find a way to make unusable hands fashionable. Her excitement gave way to embarrassment once again. She had been extremely dramatic. But it had been scary. The thought of losing her hand permanently was more than she could bear. She was glad that Tsunade had been there to help her, even if she had laughed at her for 20 minutes straight.

"Yah," Tsunade said. "Are you up to visitors yet?" She asked. Ino smiled again.

"Sure," Ino said. Tsunade stood up and walked towards the door.

"Good, because he's been bugging the hell out of me," She said. Ino began to smooth her hair down and wiped her face off, just in case. Ino had no idea what she looked like, and hoped that she didn't look horrible. She heard the door creak open again, and she saw Kiba entering the hospital room. Ino's face lit up as she saw him.

"KIBA!" Ino squealed. He brought his hands over his ears and laughed.

"Wow, you're loud. You must be feeling better," He said, plopping down in the chair Tsunade had just been sitting in. Ino was so focused on Kiba she hadn't seen Shikamaru, Chouji, Asuma-Sensei, and Sakura enter the room behind Kiba. Ino leaned over towards Kiba holding her arms out. With a big grin on his face, he leaned back towards her and hugged her. Ino was getting very fond of Kiba.

---

"Nee-chan! Do you know where Baa-chan is?" Naruto called out to Shizune. Shizune stopped and twirled around to face him.

"Tsunade-sama is with Ino right now, maybe you could come back later," Shizune answered.

"THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID YESTERDAY! I NEED TO TALK TO THE OLD LADY RIGHT NOW!" Naruto shouted. He was really getting frustrated. Tsunade had made a big deal about him coming to see her right away after he returned from the mission with Sasame.

"Naruto! Do not call me an old lady!" Tsunade said, who was now walking up the hallway.

"Baa-chan! I've been trying to talk to you! Look," Naruto said, pausing to pull Sasame up beside him, "I brought Sasame, just like you told me to."

"Good job Naruto," Tsunade said, turning to leave.

"BAA-CHAN!" Naruto hollered after her. "I JUST RETURNED BACK FROM THIS HARD MISSION AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS GOOD JOB!? WHAT ABOUT THE SECOND PART OF MY MISSION!?"

"Next month," Tsunade stated, not even turning to face him and started walking off.

"WHAT!?" Naruto said. Sasame put a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto, calm down. You shouldn't speak to the hokage like that," She said. Naruto turned to face her, anger still in his face. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

"Hai," He said when he'd calmed down, "Want to go get some ramen, nee-chan?" Sasame nodded, glad that Naruto had calmed down.

---

Shikamaru felt an odd ping run through him as Kiba and Ino embraced. _"What the heck?"_ He wondered what was going on. Ino and Kiba normally couldn't stand each other. Now they were sitting there hugging like they were long lost lovers who just found each other again. Shikamaru suppressed a growl. Instead, he cleared his throat.

Ino lifted her head up and looked around. She spotted Shikamaru and the others and pulled away from Kiba. "Hey guys," She said.

"Tsunade said that the surgery was a success," Sakura said, coming to stand next to her friend. Ino nodded, a grin wide on her face.

"Yah, when I woke up though...I was a little worried...," Ino admitted, and Shikamaru noticed that her face turned red. Sakura laughed.

"Yah, Tsunade-sama said that you freaked out when you woke up," Sakura said, and Ino's face turned redder.

"Does she tell you everything!?" Ino asked. This caused everyone to laugh. "Stop laughing!" Ino demanded. Everyone continued to laugh, unable to help themselves.

"She said you were really dramatic about it. You just stared at your hand and then started crying!" Sakura divulged while they continued to laugh. Shikamaru's sides began to hurt and he couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so hard.

"Ok guys, enough," Kiba said, after Ino started to look like she was going to burst into tears.

"Tch, girls are so troublesome. Why do girls care so much what people think of them?" Shikamaru asked. Sakura giggled.

"It's a good thing Shikamaru isn't a girl," Sakura said. Ino joined in with Sakura's giggles.

"Yah, he doesn't understand anything about girls! Imagine him being one," Ino said. Everyone paused and Shikamaru was sure that they were picturing him in a dress.

"Well, he does already have long hair," Kiba said. Ino snorted and the whole room was filled with laughter. Shikamaru felt his face get hot and he knew he was blushing.

"Hey, hey, hey, weren't we laughing at Ino. When did this turn on me?" Shikamaru said. "Please stop laughing at me!!" He frowned.

"Tch, boys are so troublesome. Why do boys care so much about what people think of them?" Ino asked.

"Ok, I get it," Shikamaru asked. "Now would you quit laughing at me?" He crossed his arms in front of him and scowled.

"If you promise not to laugh at me anymore," Ino said.

"Ever?" Shikamaru asked.

"Ever," Ino answered. Kiba turned to face Shikamaru.

"I don't think it's worth it, man," He said. Ino punched him.


	4. What are you thinking?

**A/N: yay! new chappie! Wow. I better go to bed, I have a cheerleading competition tomarrow. Wish me luck!**

**Dedicated: All you awesome reviewers and readers!**

**Disclaimer: sighs I don't own Naruto.**

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"What are you thinking?" Kiba asked, gazing at Ino. She looked up and glanced at him. They were both laying in a field on their stomachs, surrounded by flowers, and Ino was petting Akamaru. He was really enjoying it, laying on his back, his legs sprawled out as Ino scratched his belly. A smile was present on her face.

"I was just thinking about how happy you made me and...," Ino said, breaking off. It made Kiba happy that he made Ino happy. But the last part of the sentence made his eyebrows bunch together.

"And...what?" He asked. Ino paused for a moment, licking her lips.

"Well, Kiba, I've never been this happy with anyone else," Ino answered. Kiba grinned widely, his fangs exposed.

"I'm glad that I make you happy," He said, still smiling wide. Kiba froze as Ino's eyes softened and she extended her hand. Her hand reached towards his mouth. He felt a light pressure on one of his sharp fangs, she traced it lightly, creating an odd sensation on his canine tooth.

"Do you ever cut you're tounge on accident?" Ino asked, her eyes still soft but curious. Kiba reached up for her hand and pulled it away from his mouth, holding it firmly in his own hand.

"No, I've had them since I was born, to me-they're natural," He answered as he rubbed the soft skin on the back of her hand with his index finger. They were surrounded in silence, but it didn't feel awkward, instead it felt nice. They sat there soaking in the sun, enjoying each other's presence, instead of filling it with useless and idle chatter. Kiba was surprised that the sociable Ino was able to remain quiet for so long.

"What are you thinking?" Ino asked.

"I was just thinking about how surprised I am that you're able to remain quiet for so long," Kiba answered truthfully. Ino laughed lightly.

"Don't you know you're supposed to say that you were thinking about how happy I make you too? Or perhaps how beautiful I am?" Ino teased. Kiba felt his expression grow serious as he leaned closer to her, twisting his body in her direction on the ground. His eyes gazing into hers.

"Ino, you are beautiful. I'm sure you know that," Kiba answered, teasing her lightly. In fact, Kiba had once heard that during the chuunin exams, Ino had tried to use her 'sexyness' to distract Neji. Ino smiled.

"So I've heard. But it's still nice to hear it," Ino said.

"But I tell you that you're beautiful all the time," Kiba answered. It was true. It was a week after her surgery, and meanwhile Ino and him had been inseperable. During that time he hadn't refrained from telling her she was beautiful several times. Ino sighed happily.

"Yeah, but it means more when you say it," Ino said. Kiba smiled again, he smiled often when in Ino's company, and scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her, laying it across her back. He reached out, with his other hand, and placed it on her cheek. He covered the distance between their faces and kissed Ino gently on the lips.

---

"Sakura-chan!"

Sakura turned around, seeing Naruto walking down the street towards her. She smiled polietly at him, even though she was in a hurry. She had to go train with Tsunade-sama.

"Do you remember Sasame?" Naruto asked. Sakura noticed the red headed kunoichi for the first time. She hadn't spotted her walking next to him.

"Yah, I remember her," Sakura answered. Sakura turned to face Sasame, a warm smile on her face. "How have you been?" She asked politely.

"Good," Sasame replied.

"We're going to eat ramen, do you want to come along Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Haven't you two eaten ramen every day this week?" Sakura asked. Sasame smiled and nodded.

"The diet ramen is very good," Sasame said.

"Naruto!" Naruto turned to see Tenten coming towards him.

"Yah?" He asked as Tenten approached Sasame, Sakura, and him.

"Have you seen Kiba?" She asked. Sakura laughed.

"Just look for Ino and you'll find him!" Sakura said, giggling.

"Why are you looking for him?" Naruto asked.

"Tsunade-sama called for us," Tenten answered.

"Oh, that reminds me, I was on my way to report to Tsunade-sama right now," Sakura said, and hurried off. Tenten sighed.

"I've been looking everywhere and I can't find them," She said with another sigh.

---

"Kiba!" Tenten yelled, running through the field towards them. Ino pulled back from Kiba and looked at the weapon mistress.

"Uhm...Yah, Tenten?" Kiba asked, slightly embarressed that Tenten had interrupted them kissing.

"Tsunade-sama want to see us," Tenten said. Kiba sighed. If Tsunade was calling for him, that meant a mission.

"Ok. Akamaru, come on. I'll see you around, Ino-chan," Kiba said. Ino smiled warmly at him.

"I better, Kiba-kun," Ino said, waving at him in farewell. "Bye Akamaru," Ino called out as they left. Ino heard the dog yip back at her, his voice slightly muffled by the distance.

---

"I looked all over for you!" Tenten said, annoyed. Kiba laughed.

"Sorry," He said. Tenten turned to stare at him.

"I've been looking all over for you, and all you can say is sorry?" She demanded even more annoyed now.

"I don't know what else to say," Kiba said. He shrugged and held his hands out as though he was lost. Tenten clenched her jaw.

"Boys really are dumb," Tenten said darkly. Kiba's face turned red.

"I am not dumb!" He growled.

"Then you'd know what to say!" Tenten shouted, "Seriously, I don't know how you even managed to get Ino!" Kiba stopped in his tracks.

"I got Ino because I'm sexy, strong, confident, funny, caring, and smart!" Kiba shouted back at her. Tenten scoffed.

"I can't say I agree," She said. Tenten could see Kiba's ego deflating. She turned with a 'hmph' and marched ahead. Kiba followed behind, trying to calm himself by planning his next date with Ino.


	5. New Girl

**A/N: Hey everybody. I'm sorry about taking forever to post this chapter. The reason is because I'm introducing someone new in this chapter, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to or not. But then I started on the next chapter and it fit, so I am. So to make up for taking forever to update, I'm uploading two chapters today. Yay!**

**Dedication: To my mom, who's going to put the food away, so I don't have to. (Happy Thanksgiving!)**

**Disclaimer: (imagine something creative here about how I don't own Naruto)**

* * *

Yuri sighed as she opened the door. Her blue eyes scanned the empty room. The house wasn't impressive in any way. It was actually smaller than their old house and the walls were a boring white. She turned to see her mom entering the house behind her, carrying a heavy box. She lowered the box to the floor and clapped her hands together. 

"Isn't it cozy?" Yuri's mother asked. Yuri rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"If that's what you want to call it," Yuri said. Her mom's face turned from happiness to a pleading look.

"Yuri, please don't do this to me. Can't you just be happy?" She asked. Yuri shook her head.

"How can I be happy when you just ruined my life?" Yuri demanded. Yuri's mother sighed and put a hand on Yuri's shoulder.

"Yuri, I'm sure you can make some new friends," She said in a soothing voice. Yuri scowled and pulled herself away from her mother's hand.

"I don't want new friends," Yuri said darkly. She sat down on the floor and stared at the wall.

"Are you going to help me carry the stuff in?" Her mother asked. Yuri didn't look away from the wall.

"It wasn't my idea to move," She said coldly. Yuri ignored her mother coming in and out of the house, continuing to stare at the wall. She finally looked away from the wall and looked towards the door when she heard a man's voice and her mother laughing. A man with silver hair and a mask covering his face entered the room, carrying many boxes stacked on top of each other. Yuri's mother followed in after him, a bright smile engulfing her features.

"You can set them over there," Her mom said, pointing over at the wall opposite Yuri. "Yuri, this is Kakashi. He's a Sensei here in Konoha," Her mom's expression was hopeful.

"That's good for him," Yuri said, turning to look at the wall again.

"Don't you want to go meet some of the ninja here?" Her mother asked.

"No."

"Kakashi was saying that he knew someone that would be more than happy to introduce you to everybody,"

"No."

"You should probably go see the Hokage-sama as well,"

"No." Yuri glanced quickly over her shoulder when she heard laughter. The guy called Kakashi was laughing.

"You're not going to have much choice when I tell him," He said.

"No one can make me," Yuri challenged. Kakashi laughed again.

"Let's just say that he doesn't give up too easy," Kakashi said.

"I'm going to my bedroom," Yuri said. She got up and left the living room. Heading down the hallway she went to the room that was now her own. Since there was nothing in it yet, she sat on the floor and gazed unhappily out the window.

---

"Why are you so angry anyway?" Kiba asked Tenten after a while of silence. Tenten avoided his gaze as he walked next to her. She didn't want to admit to him that she was jealous. Jealous that he had Ino when Neji wouldn't even look her way.

"I've just been having a bad day," She mumbled. Kiba nodded and stopped trying to catch her eye.

"That's too bad," Kiba said. They were silent the rest of the way to see Tsunade-sama.

---

Shikamaru walked down the street with a scowl on his face. Ever since Kiba and Ino had returned from their mission they'd been inseperable, and this made Shikamaru's heart hurt. He now knew that he was jealous. And boy was he jealous. Everytime he saw Kiba with Ino, he wanted to walk up and beat the shit out of Kiba. To make everything worse, Shikamaru didn't see Ino that much any more. Except for when they trained, which wasn't often, he rarely saw her.

When a mission came up, and Tsunade asked Shikamaru to go with Tenten, Shikamaru wasn't able to go. He and his father had plans for the week. With a smile Shikamaru had suggusted Kiba, to go in his place. Tsunade agreed, though she didn't want to send him on another mission so soon.

Now he was looking for Ino, because until he was able to spend some quality time with the blonde, he would continue to scowl.


	6. Pain and Comfort

**A/N: I like this chapter. It's very emotional. Tell me whatcha think. ;)**

**Dedication: My faithful readers and awesome reviewers!**

**Disclaimer: II ddoonn''tt oowwnn NNaarruuttoo. (lol)**

* * *

"Ino," He said quietly. The blonde girl turned to look at him, her ponytail swinging, and she smiled. She stopped and allowed him to catch up with her.

"Shikamaru," Ino greeted. Shikamaru felt a tingly sensation in his stomach, a.k.a. butterflies, when she said his name. Shikamaru understood that he had feelings for the blonde. What he didn't understand is why he didn't have them before. Before Ino had left on the mission with Kiba, he hadn't felt any of these feelings. When she came back and spent all her free time with Kiba, Shikamaru found that he was jealous. Extremely jealous. Had his jealousy brought out his feelings for Ino? Had he liked her all this time. He looked up to see Ino looking at him, eyes alight with curiousity.

"Ino, I haven't seen you much since before your last mission," Shikamaru said, his voice still quiet. He saw her eyebrows bunch together.

"Shikamaru, it's not my fault that Asuma-sensei has been away and we haven't been able to train," She said with a sigh.

"That's not what I meant," Shikamaru said.

"What did you mean then, Shikamaru?" Ino asked.

"Usually I see you more often. You follow me around and nag me all the time," He said, trying to joke. But when he said it, it didn't sound right.

"Well, then you should be happy. If you really miss nagging, I'm sure you could hang out with your mom," She said in a teasing tone back. It all sounded half-hearted.

"Ino, what's happening to us?" Shikamaru said suddenly, stopping. Ino stopped and looked at him, her eyebrows arched in alarm.

"What are you talking about?" Ino asked.

"Ever since you got back from the mission, you've been distant. We were really good friends, but this whole week every minute I've seen you...I don't know. It's not the same," Shikamaru said, feeling very uncomfortable. Ino turned away from him and looked off. It was several minutes before she spoke.

"Shikamaru. I didn't realize I was supposed to spend every day with you. I hadn't realized you even noticed me when I was around," Ino said.

"I notice everything about you," Shikamaru said. The fact that this was true shocked him. He hadn't realized that he paid so much attention to her, but now that he thought about it he could visualize her expressions. He was easily able to read her emotions on her face. He saw her turn to look at him with surprised eyes. Her eyes remained surprised until she closed them. When she opened them again, her expression was guarded.

"Shikamaru, I-" Ino started but then she shook her head and looked at the ground. "I don't know what to say," She said.

"Say you notice everything about me. Say that you think about me all the time. Say that you miss me, and you would rather hang out with me than Kiba. Say that," Shikamaru said.

"I can't, Shikamaru, I can't," She said. He took a step towards her.

"Sure you can," Shikamaru said in a soothing tone.

"No, Shikamaru, I can't," She said, her voice more assertive now.

"Ino, I didn't realize before, but there's something between us," Shikamaru said. Ino closed her eyes.

"Please don't do this to me. Please," Ino begged, tears choking her voice.

"I love you. So much. It's killing me to see you with him," Shikamaru said. Tears slid out from under her eyelids, her eyes still closed.

"You can't mean that. We're just kids, Shikamaru. We aren't old enough to be in a serious relationship. You're not old enough to understand love. You're just jealous because Kiba's my boyfriend," Ino said.

"How do you know we're not old enough?" Shikamaru asked.

"We're only thirteen," Ino said.

"Ino, I mean it, I love you," He said firmly. She finally opened her eyes, and Shikamaru saw the pain that filled them.

"No, you love Temari," She said, walking away. Shikamaru wanted to run after her, grab her hand, and kiss her. The only thing stopping him from doing so, was the look of pain in her eyes when he told her that he loved her.

---

Ino walked until she was out of Shikamaru's sight. When she was sure he couldn't see her anymore, she ran. She ran, not really knowing where she was going. She ran, ignoring the dull ache in her side. She ran, wanting to put distance between her and Shikamaru before she broke down. Finally she stopped and collapsed on the ground. Tears flowed down her face, mixing with her sweat, she gasped trying to catch her breath.

"Ino?"

Ino groaned, of course someone would find her. She couldn't just break down. She couldn't just have some privacy. She peeked up and saw Naruto standing above her.

"Ino, are you ok?" Naruto asked, his voice softer than normal, filled with his usual compassion. Ino wiped her face with her sleeve.

"Not really," Ino answered.

"I'm sorry, that was a stupid question to ask," Naruto said. Ino shook her head.

"It's ok," Ino said. Naruto squatted in front of her, she was lying on the ground, and pulled her up into a sitting positition. He took his sleeve and wiped away the tears and sweat that Ino had missed. Ino closed her eyes.

"What happened?" Naruto asked, moving from his squat to sitting crossed-legged on the ground beside her.

"Well, I was already sad that Kiba left on a mission yesterday. I miss him a lot. It's already hard to get used to him not sleeping with me, but when he's gone it's even harder. On that mission, we formed a strong bond. Whenever I'm not with him, I miss him. Just a little bit ago, I ran into Shikamaru. H-he wanted t-ta-to know what was the muh-matter with...us. And he said that," Ino was crying again, and she was having a hard time getting the words out, "He said that he loved me." Naruto wrapped his arms around her, and Ino buried her face in his shirt. He patted her on the back and rocked back and forth.

"The worst part is, that he doesn't love me, he loves Temari. He's just jealous," Ino said, her voice slightly muffled from Naruto's shirt. Naruto held her for a long time, before Ino sat up and wiped her face again.

"Are you feeling better?" Naruto asked.

"Yah. Listen, Naruto, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't keep you from anything you were supposed to be doing," Ino said. Naruto smiled.

"Nah, I was just dropping in on a girl who just moved to Konoha. Kakashi-sensei said she was very relunctant to settle in here. She was against moving, and now she's making hell for her mother who just wants her to be happy. So I'm going to go get her and introduce her to everyone," Naruto said. Ino smiled.

"You're the best person for that job," She said. Ino had seen it first hand, Naruto had a way of getting around the walls people built around themselves.

"Do you want to come along?" Naruto asked.

"Sure," Ino said.

"Ok," He said, smiling, "Her name is Yuri."


	7. Dealmaking

**A/N: Hey guys! My computer broke, so I'm on my dad's. So the chapters are probably going to come slower then ever. Sorry. Anyway, at the end Neji and Lee seem (to me) a little bit out of character, but I liked it too much to get rid of it. And if you don't remember, pinky means girlfriend. (atleast, I think so, I could be wrong)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, then Ino and Kiba would be a couple.**

**Dedication: I dedicate this chapter to everybody who loves christmas! yay christmas!**

* * *

"Where's Sasame?" Ino asked Naruto as they walked to Yuri's.

"She's somewhere with Sakura," He said. Ino felt guilty. She hadn't seen Sakura in forever.

"I'm such a horrible friend!" Ino said. Naruto raised his eyebrows.  
"Why are you such a horrible friend?" He asked.

"I haven't seen Sakura in forever!" Ino said, putting her hand to her forhead. Naruto laughed.

"You're not a horrible friend, you've been busy. And so has Sakura," Naruto said. Ino chuckled.

"You're just saying that so I don't burst into tears again," She teased. Ino wondered how long it would have taken to regain her composure if Naruto hadn't been there. "Thanks for being there, by the way," Ino said sincerely.

"That's what friends do," Naruto said with a shrug. Ino felt another pang of guilt.

"I haven't treated like I should, Naruto," Ino apologized. Naruto shrugged again.

"It's no big deal," He smiled endearingly, "I know I can get annoying." Ino still felt guilty.

"That doesn't give me any reason to treat you like that," Ino said.

"I told you, it's ok, really," Naruto insisted.

"Will you forgive me?" Ino asked, unable to feel better until she could make it up to him.

"Sure," He said. Ino smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll make it up to you some how," She insisted.

---

Yuri jumped when someone knocked at the door. Scowling, she got up off the couch and headed to the door. It was probably that Kakashi guy here to see her mother again. She opened the door, running a hand through her raven black hair, and leaned against the door. Standing on the front step were two people about her age.

One had short blonde hair that stuck up at odd angles, big blue eyes, and three whisker marks on each cheek. He had a wide grin on his face, and he was wearing a bright orange jumpsuit. The other person also had blonde hair, but it was longer, pulled up in a ponytail. She also had blue eyes, but no pupils and a different shade than the boy's. Her outfit was all purple, which must have been her favorite color, she also had body wrappings. Her smile wasn't as wide, but it was just as friendly. Yuri sighed, this must be her welcoming committee.

"Hey, my name is Naruto. This is Ino" He indicated to the blonde girl, "and we're ninja from Konoha. I hope you like it here in Konoha."

"Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but I do not like it here in Konoha," Yuri said. Naruto's smile never faltered.

"How would you know, Kakashi-sensei said that you won't even leave the house," Naruto said.

"Well, I don't want to. I just want to go home," Yuri said, pouting.

"Why?" Ino asked. Yuri looked at her confused.

"What do you mean why? I miss my home," Yuri said, like it was obvious.

"That's not what I meant. Why are you doing this to your mom? She just wants you to be happy. You're making her miserable," Ino said. Yuri saw Naruto look at her in surprise.

"That's none of your business," Yuri said, starting to close the door. Naruto put his hand on the door and stopped her from shutting it.

"Come on, just come out and meet my friends," Naruto said. Yuri struggled to shut the door, but Naruto was stronger than her.

"Don't you get it, I don't want to go meet your stupid friends," Yuri said, still struggling.

"If you just come meet my friends, I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day," Naruto bargained. Yuri paused in her attempts to shut the door and stared at Naruto critically.

"How about I shut this door, and you leave me alone forever?" Yuri shot at him. Naruto shook his head.

"If you don't come meet my friends with me, I'll come back every hour on the hour and ask if you'll come meet my friends. I don't give up easily," He said.

"I go and you don't bug me for three days," Yuri said. Naruto shook his head.

"Two days is the highest I'm going," He said. Yuri sighed and began putting her shoes on.

---

"Where's Tenten?" Neji asked. Lee looked up and shrugged.

"I haven't seen her since she was looking everywhere for Kiba," Lee answered. Neji froze.

"Why was she looking for Kiba?" He asked his spandex-wearing teammate.

"I don't know," Lee said, obviously bored with this conversation, "Can we train now?"

"Do you think Tenten is Kiba's...," Neji held up his pinky finger. Lee looked from Neji's pinky finger to his face and burst out laughing.

"Tenten with Kiba!" He shouted. Lee placed his hand on his belly as he laughed.

"Hn," Neji said, crossing his arms and looking menacing.

"No, everyone knows that Ino is Kiba's," Rock Lee said, holding up his pinky finger too. Neji sighed in relief.

"Well, Ino's pretty, so that's good," Neji said.

"Ino's pretty, but not as pretty as Sakura-chan!" Rock Lee called out in a sing song voice.

"Eh," Neji said.

"What do you mean 'eh'?! Sakura is one of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen!" Rock Lee yelled in Neji's face.

"Eh," Neji said, not agreeing.

"So you think Ino's prettier?" Rock Lee asked.

"I didn't say that," Neji said tersely.

"Who do you think is prettiest then?" Lee asked. Neji turned slightly pink.

"I'm too focused on training and bettering myself to obsess over girls," Neji said. Lee leaned closer, severly invading the lavender eyed shinobi's personal space.

"Then why were you so worried about Tenten and Kiba?" Lee asked.

"Let's train," Neji suggusted.

"Are you avoiding my question?" Lee asked, a smile on his face.

"Hn," Neji said, pushing Lee. Rock Lee laughed and danced out of Neji's range.

"Do you like Tenten, Neji?" Lee called out. Neji sighed.

"You need to stop hanging out with Naruto, you're starting to be annoying like him," Neji said in a cold voice.


	8. Yuri, Don't be rude

**A/N: Hm. Well, in this chapter Ino gets fed up with Yuri. I don't know if I really like this chapter, and it was a pain in the butt to type, but I hope the next one will be better. Btw, I want everyone to know that I like Sakura, Yuri is just upset that she has to move and she's rude.**

**Dedication: Dedicated to the first person to ever draw anime, whoever that was.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Splish! **Shikamaru threw another rock into the water and glared angrily at the ripples sliding across the surface. Over and over again, in his mind, Shikamaru saw Ino's eyes full of pain. Pain that he had caused her. **Flink!** A pile of rocks were starting to protrude from the water.

"_You love Temari," _Ino's words echoed in his head. Shikamaru reached for another rock, but all the rocks that had been on the shore were now piled up in the water. Sighing, Shikamaru leant back, only to hit his head on a tree trunk that he had forgotten was there.

Pain and anger shot through him and, without thinking, he punched the tree. His arm sunk in all the way up to the shoulder, and still Shikamaru's hand hadn't breached the other side of the tree. Looking up, he saw that he had punched one of the grandfather trees. One of the trees that had been here from the beginning.

Shikamaru leaned his forehead against the tree and sighed. He had to talk to Ino again and fix this. That much he had decided, and that part wasn't the problem. But Shikamaru also had to find the courage to face possible rejection. Would he be able to bear the pain if Ino said she didn't even want to be friends anymore?

---

"Hinata,"

Hinata turned to see Shino.

"Hello, Shino. Y-you've just returned from your mission?" Hinata said in her usual timid manner. Shino nodded and they were both silent for several minutes.

"Where's Kiba?" Shino asked.

"Mission," Hinata replied. Once again, silence.

"When he gets back, we'll train," Shino said. Hinata nodded and Shino nodded once in return.

"Uh. W-well, I'll see you around, then," Hinata said softly.

"Yah."

---

"Yuri, this is Sakura, Sakura, this is Yuri," Naruto said pointing to a girl with pink hair. Yuri nodded, bored out of her mind. She tucked her black hair behind her ear and attempted a friendly smile. It was hard to keep it from coming across as fake.

"Hello, Yuri, it's good to meet you," Sakura said. She smiled and closed her pretty blue eyes.

_It's not good to meet you, I should be back home,_ Yuri thought.

"Hello, uh…uhm…," Yuri said, even though she remembered her name just fine. Naruto looked at her curiously.

"Sak-u-ra," Sakura said like she was talking to a baby.

"Hello, Sak-u-ra," Yuri mocked. Sakura's eyebrows bunched together, but miraculously she managed to keep a smile on her face.

"Well, I'm sure we can become good friends," Sakura said.

_I really doubt that we'll even be friends._

"Sure," Yuri said, sarcastically. Ino frowned.

"What's your problem?" Ino asked.

"What's _your_ problem? You're the one freaking out," Yuri said

"I'm getting sick of hearing you be rude. Oh, poor Yuri, you moved from your home and miss your friends. Get over it! You don't have to make things miserable for your mom and be rude to my friends because you're a big crybaby," Ino raged. Yuri clenched her fists.

"You know what? Who cares what you think! I can act however I want, and I don't want to get over it. How would you know what it's like to move! I bet you've lived here your entire life!" Yuri yelled back, moving towards her and getting ready to slap her. Quickly Naruto put himself between the two and held his hands up. One palm facing Yuri, the other facing Ino.

"Ino, don't judge Yuri," Naruto said to Ino before turning to look at Yuri, "Yuri, we had a deal. You meet all my friends and I leave you alone for two days. But would it kill you to be nice to them?" Ino crossed her arms across her chest and sighed. Yuri rolled her eyes.

"Sure, sure," Yuri said. Naruto dropped his hands and gestured towards Sakura.

"Apologize to Sakura-chan," He said.

"Sakura-_chan_?" Yuri repeated. Naruto nodded. "Sorry, Sakura-chan." Sakura just shook her head.

"I'll see you guys later. Good luck, Naruto," Sakura said, getting ready to leave.

"Sakura!" Ino called.

"Yeah?" Sakura asked, halting.

"Come by the shop tomorrow, I haven't seen you for a while," Ino said. Sakura nodded.

"Ok," She agreed, walking away. Ino smiled at Naruto and he returned it. Yuri rolled her eyes again.

"INO!" A voice shouted. Yuri looked behind her to see a boy running towards them. The first thing she noticed was that his hair was up in a ponytail that resembled a pineapple. Yuri turned back in time to catch Ino's look of dread, and Naruto coming to stand in front of her. Shikamaru slowed to a halt and scratched the back of his neck. "Ino…could I talk to you?" He asked hesitantly. _What is going on? _Yuri wondered.

---

_This is so troublesome! I should just go watch some clouds,_ Shikamaru thought, shoving his hands into his pockets. Ino peeked around from behind Naruto.

"Shikamaru I don't think that would be a very good idea," Ino said before retreating back behind Naruto.

"What's going on?" An unfamiliar girl with black hair asked.

"Please, Ino?" Shikamaru asked, ignoring the girl.

"What's going on!?" The girl asked again, louder this time.

"Nothing, I just want to talk to Ino," Shikamaru said. He didn't like begging, and he was getting close to just giving up when Ino stepped out from behind Naruto.

"For a minute," Ino said and Shikamaru nodded. She glanced back at Naruto before walking towards him. "Ok, what is it?" Ino asked when they were a few steps away from Naruto and annoying black haired girl.

"Who is that?" Shikamaru asked, indicating the girl with black hair.

"Yuri, is that what you wanted to talk to me about?" Ino answered and asked.

"No, I just wanted to talk about earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you and…tch, this is troublesome," Shikamaru said. Ino watched him with weary eyes.

"Uhm, It's ok," Ino said, forgiving him easily.

_If only it was that easy,_ Shikamaru thought.

"I don't want to hurt you again, but I just want to let you know that I really do like you. We've grown so close, ever since we've been assigned as teammates. Also, if you recall, many people have fallen in love and have married at this age. Our age," Shikamaru said, quickly. Ino groaned. This whole lovesick thing was not in Shikamaru's character and it was really annoying her.

"Shikamaru, please stop. I-I thought I liked you, and I tried to tell you before," Ino said.

"You tried to tell me?" Shikamaru asked, not quite believing her.

"Yes, remember before I went on the mission with Kiba? We were watching the clouds and I asked you if you were in love, and I was going to tell you that I loved you," Ino paused to lick her lips before continuing on, "But you told me that you loved Temari."

"Ino, I'm sorry. I was so wrong, I love you," Shikamaru said.

"Shikamaru, could you just do me a favor and start acting like yourself again?" Ino asked with a sad sigh.

"Ino, you are one troublesome woman," Shikamaru said, a small smile on his face.

"Go do some cloud watching," Ino said, pushing him in the direction of his favorite hill.

"Alright, alright," Shikamaru said, walking off with his hands in his pockets.

"Thanks, Shika-kun," Ino said softly.


	9. WHAT?

-1**A/N: Hey everybody. I was planning on going in a different direction with this story, but I changed my mind. While I was waiting to get on the computer (mine is broken, that's why the updates are so slow lately) I came up with a better idea. The new idea has less drama and more action. I'm not going to spoil it for you, so I'm going to shut up now.**

"Naruto, why did you stick up for me back there?" Yuri asked Naruto after Ino excused herself to go work at the shop.

"I don't know why, actually," Naruto said. Yuri raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"You don't know?" Yuri repeated.

"Well, there's reasons I shouldn't have. You were being rude to my teammate and friend, Sakura-chan. You also kept getting into Ino's matters," Naruto said. Yuri sniffed and then began crying. This was the second time today that Naruto had to deal with a crying girl.

"I'm never going to fit in here! N-nobody likes me!" Yuri screeched. Naruto fought the impulse to cover his ears.

"Well, you have to be nice to people. They won't like you if your rude," Naruto said. Yuri grabbed onto his jacket and pulled him closer to her tear-covered face.

"Why did I have to leave all my friends! I don't want to have to start over!" Yuri wailed in Naruto's face.

"Why don't you try to make new friends?" Naruto suggested, patting her on the back. Yuri wailed again before burying her face in his shoulder.

"Who's your girlfriend, Naruto?"

Yuri turned around to see a boy with brown hair, a jacket with fur, red triangles on his face, and a white dog on his head.

"She's not my girlfriend," Naruto said, "And her name is Yuri. She just moved here. Yuri, Kiba. Kiba, Yuri."

"Hey," Kiba said with a friendly grin.

"Hey," Yuri repeated back in greeting.

"Have you seen Ino?" Kiba asked Naruto. Ino seemed to be popular with the boys.

"She's at the shop," Naruto answered. Kiba nodded.

"Thanks, see you around," He called over his shoulder as he left, with his dog, in the same direction as Ino had.

"Are you going to try and be nicer from now on?" Naruto asked Yuri.

"I'll try, but no one will like me," She said with a sad sigh.

---

"Ino! Ino!"

"Over here, Sakura!" Ino called. Sakura followed Ino's voice and headed to the far corner of the shop.

"Ino, I can't believe it," Sakura said.

"Believe what?"

"That you _slept_ with Kiba," Sakura whispered. Ino froze. "Uhm, Ino?" Sakura waved her hand in front of Ino's face.

"Will you repeat what you said again?" Ino asked, hoping that she had heard Sakura wrong.

"That you slept w-" Sakura started in a louder voice before Ino clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Do you want everyone to hear you?" Ino asked, her brows furrowed.

"Did you?" Sakura asked, once Ino removed her hand.

"Did I what?" Ino asked, distractedly looking around for anyone who might be listening in.

"Did you sleep with K-uh I mean-him?" Sakura asked, flinching as Ino brought her hand up threateningly.

"What!? NO!" Ino said.

"Are you sure, because I heard that you did," Sakura said questionably.

"NO I DID NOT SLEEP WITH KIBA!" Ino said, louder than she intended. Both girls jumped as they heard the sound of a pot smashing to the ground. Ino and Sakura both froze with shock, and when they had regained their senses enough to peer around the corner to see who had listened in, they were long gone, the door swinging shut behind them.

"Uh oh," Sakura said, pushing open the door and looking up and down the street. The street was busy, and the pink haired ninja couldn't tell who had overheard Ino. She shut the door and came back to where Ino was standing. "Whoever it was, they got away," She said.

"Ugh, why me?" Ino asked as she buried her face in her hands. The bell above the door rang again as the door was pushed open again. "We're closed," Ino said, not even looking up to see who it was.

"Ino?"

"Kiba!" Ino squealed, leaping into his arms. She felt the vibrations in his chest as he laughed.

"I missed you too," Kiba said.

"Perfect timing, Kiba," Sakura commented, "Ino, I think I'm going to head off."

"If anyone asks you again, tell them that it's not true," Ino said, her face still pressed against Kiba's jacket covered chest.

"Ok, bye Ino. Bye Kiba. Bye Akamaru," Sakura said as she left the shop.

"Asks her what?" Kiba asked, pulling Ino away from him so he could see her face. Ino looked down, avoiding his eyes.

"About a rumor that's going around," Ino mumbled, barely audible.

"What rumor?" Kiba asked, going from curious to extremely interested.

"Well, I just heard, that people think that we…we," Ino said, still looking away from Kiba.

"That we what? We what, Ino?" Kiba pressed.

"That we…slept together," Ino said quietly.

"WHAT!?" Kiba asked, eyes wide with shock.

"Kiba! What are we going to do?" Ino asked, burying her face into his chest again. He wrapped his arms around her, in attempt to comfort her.

"I don't know," Kiba said with a sigh.

"I should go talk to Tsunade-sama about it," Ino said.

"How would that help?" Kiba asked, stroking her blonde hair.

"She would know how to prove that we haven't…you know," Ino said, she couldn't bring herself to say it again.

"I didn't think of that. We'll have to wait though," Kiba said.

"Why?" Ino asked.

"When I came back from the mission last night, she said she was taking today off," He answered.

"Hey! You were back last night? Why didn't you come to see me?" Ino asked, mock pouting.

"Well, I saw Naruto with that new girl and he told me that you were at the shop. So I came here, and you weren't here," Kiba defended himself. Ino smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, I just wanted to get away from Yuri. She's so rude, and there's just something about her that I don't like," Ino was defending herself now.

"She didn't seem that bad to me," Kiba said.

"Trust me, she is," Ino said, and Kiba laughed.

"Do you want me to clean that up for you?" Kiba asked, pointing at the broken pot on the floor.

"Oh! I had completely forgotten about that!"

---

"Yuri, didn't the Naruto boy show you around yesterday?" Her mother asked as they sat at the table, eating lunch.

"Yeah, he did, but I don't think anyone's going to like me," Yuri said, playing with the carpet.

"Oh, Yuri-dear, I'm sure you'll be able to make friends. Please don't play with the carpet," Her mother said. Yuri let go off the carpet strands that were pinched in between her fingers and picked up her chop sticks.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence and Yuri's mother finished her meal before Yuri. She paused when she was standing behind Yuri and leaned in.

"Yuri, look what you did to the carpet!" She exclaimed, rubbing the carpet where she had been pulling on it. "How did it go?" She whispered in her ear, so quiet that Yuri could barely hear her.

"According to plan," Yuri answered, just as quiet. Yuri's mother straightened up and smiled.

"Yuri-dear, will you bring me your plate when you're done with it?" She asked, not bothering to wait for an answer.


	10. Like Wildfire

**A/N: Alright, some people are wondering about Yuri and her mom. Well, I can't tell you what their plan is, because I don't want to ruin anything for you all, but I can answer some questions. No, Yuri and her mother did not start the rumor about Kiba and Ino. Yes, Yuri and her mother's plan is a big deal.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

"INO!" Her father called as soon as she walked into her house. Ino winced, had the rumor spread that fast?

"Daddy?" Ino called out in reply.

"COME HERE RIGHT NOW!" He yelled from the Yamanaka's sitting room. Ino sighed and obediently went to her father.

"Daddy?" She repeated, when she was standing in front of her father.

"WHAT IS THIS I HEAR ABOUT YOU SLEEPING WITH THAT INUZUKA BRAT!?" Inoichi was still yelling, even though Ino was standing right in front of him.

"He's not a brat, and I didn't sleep with him," Ino answered quietly.

"IF YOU GET PREGNANT, YOU AREN'T LIVING HERE ANYMORE!" Her father continued to rage.

"I didn't sleep with him!" Ino said, louder this time.

"IT IS SO DISHONORABLE TO SLEEP WITH ANYONE WHEN YOU'RE NOT MARRIED! I AM SO DISSAPOINTED IN YOU!" Inoichi yelled, ignoring his daughter.

"DAD!" Ino screamed. He stopped yelling and looked at her, and she could tell that he was still fuming. At least he was listening to her now. "Tomorrow, I'm going to Tsunade-sama and I'm going to ask her to help me prove to everyone that I am still a virgin. I don't know who started this horrible rumor, but when I find out, they are going to pay," She said.

"How is Tsunade-sama going to prove that?" Inoichi asked.

"I don't know. Some medical procedure, I guess," Ino answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, until your virginity is proven, you are not to see that Inuzuka brat," Her father said.

"Dad, he's not a brat!" Ino said, walking away. "I'm going to my room," She called as she left the room.

---

Kiba walked into his house and saw his sister, Hana, sitting at the table. She looked up, and then returned to her work once she saw that it was just him. Kiba came to stand beside her and looked down at what she was doing. A medical book was opened to a diagram of a bird, and Hana was replicating it, adding her own notes to the margin of her copy.

"What are you up to, Nee-chan?" Kiba asked, curiously.

"A new disease has developed in birds," She answered without looking away from her paper or pausing in her writing.

"Hm," Kiba began walking towards his room, wondering if Inoichi had heard the rumor, and if Ino was getting in trouble.

"Kiba," Hana said. He paused and looked back towards his sister. "I heard a rumor," She said, simply. Kiba stifled a sigh.

"That's all it is," Kiba said, "a rumor." Then he turned and resumed his walk to his room. Shutting the door and plopped on his bed. If Hana knew, then most likely, Inoichi knew. Of course, this kind of rumor was the juicy kind that spread like wild fire.

Who had started that rumor? Kiba had no idea. It could have been anyone. A sudden tapping noise brought him out of his thoughts and he looked in the direction of the noise. Perched just outside the window was a bird. Kiba stood up and headed over to his window.

The bird squawked as Kiba opened the window and it landed on his sill. It held up his leg and cocked it's head to the side. Kiba pulled the note off the bird's leg and unfolded it.

_Kiba-kun,_

_My dad heard the rumor and as soon as I walked in the house, he began yelling at me. I want to hurry up and get this whole thing over with, because my dad said I couldn't see you again until my virginity is proven. Did you mother hear the rumor as well? Are you in trouble? I already miss you. _

_Ino-chan._

Kiba's mother wasn't even home. Luckily for him, she was on a mission. Pulling out a piece of paper and a writing utensil, he sat down to reply to Ino. After a flurry of strokes and starting over a few times, Kiba read over his letter.

_Ino-chan,_

_I'm sorry to hear that you got in trouble. Luckily my mom is on a mission, so she doesn't know. Hana does, but besides that I'm fine. Tomorrow, around noon, I'll meet you at the Hokage Place. If I find out who started this rumor, they are going to pay. I miss you too._

_Kiba-kun._

Kiba folded up his letter and attached it to the bird's foot. The bird flew away and Kiba shut his window again.

---

"Mom! I'm going to go train!"

"Alright, Yuri-dear. Be back soon!"

The ANBU shifted his weight and watched Yuri leave her house.

"Hey, she's leaving," He said, prodding the ANBU member who was 'resting her eyes' next to him. She sat forward and yawned.

"Alright, you go after her and I'll keep an eye on the mom," She said with a sleepy voice.

"You should let someone else take your shift tonight, if you're so tired. Don't fall asleep, ok?" He said.

"I won't fall asleep," She answered, sounding angry.

"Are you sure because…,"

"She's almost out of sight, you better follow her," She spoke over him. He nodded and disappeared from her side.

He followed Yuri to the training grounds and watched as she trained. It was quite boring, but he reminded himself that he needed to stay focused. About three hours into her training, she disappeared.

"Shit," He muttered, his hands going through a jutsu. But as sudden as she had disappeared, she reappeared. Letting his hands drop to his side, he didn't finish the jutsu. _Probably just part of her training._ He reassured himself.

---

"Are they still watching you?" A figure hiding in the shadows asked.

"Very closely," Yuri answered.

"Is the plan going well?"

"Hai, he'll never see it coming."

"When do you think you'll be ready?"

"We don't know yet. Possibly in three days," Yuri said.

"Good," The figure said, sounding pleased.

"I better return, before the ANBU member following me realizes what's going on," Yuri said. The figure nodded, and Yuri disappeared in a puff of smoke.

---

"Sasame, do you want to train with me?" Lee asked. Sasame started in surprised. She hadn't realized that he had known she was there.

"Sure," She answered, coming out from behind the tree.

"What do you know of Taijutsu?" He asked her.

"Not much, actually," Sasame answered. The truth was, she was fascinated watching Lee train. He moved with such sudden and graceful moves, and he worked so hard. He reminded her of Naruto, refusing to give up. Lee smiled.

"I would be happy to teach you some," He offered.

"That would be great," Sasame said, returning his smile.


	11. A Plan Springing into Action

**A/N: EEE! I'm so excited, the action is so close! My bff, Rae-chan, and I brain stormed some ideas for the fight, and I can't wait to type it!! So, I think I'm going to bring the fight sooner, instead of putting some meaningless chapters before it. Who cares about proving the rumors are fake? There is plenty of time after the fight! Wahoo! I'm so excited. Alright, enough meaningless chatter. Dedication, Disclaimer, then on to the story!! Oh! Btw, I finally made it to Shippuuden!**

**Dedication: To Rae-chan! My bestestestestest friend who is genius! Te amo Rachel! (btw, you should read our co-authored stories, "Nejikun: You will Love me" and "Inopig: You are so annoying". Oh, and Rae-chan's story "The New girl". lol, thanks.)**

**Disclaimer: I wish I had something creative to put here, but I don't. So I'll just put the boring "I don't own Naruto" thing. Btw, I'm glad I don't. I'd rather live in the Naruto world than be the big boss of it. Lol.**

**Story time!**

"What took so long, Kataki?"

"I got here as soon as I could. They've been keeping a close eye on us. Obviously the Konoha Ninja are more observant than we planned," She answered.

"No, they are just more careful. Ever since Orochimaru attacked them."

"Hm. You've got a point there."

"More observant than you planned." He added. Kataki looked away.

"Sure."

"Tell Yuri that plans have changed, and that she needs to do it today, whether or not she's ready," He said.

"What? If she's not ready, she can die," Kataki said, fearing for her comrade's life.

"So?" Kataki turning her head to look into his dark onyx eyes.

"It would be worthless to just throw her life away!"

"You knew the consequences when you agreed to this," He said, his eyes flashing.

"You know I would do anything for you," She murmured.

"You say that, but you contradict that by saying such ridiculous and petty things!"

"I'm sorry."

"Go tell Yuri, you've wasted too much time. The ANBU are probably getting suspicious," He commanded. Kataki nodded in submission. After all, she should be happy that he was even speaking to her. She didn't deserve it, especially after speaking against him.

---

"The plan won't work! I need more time!" Yuri whispered fiercely to her 'mother'.

"It can't be helped," Kataki answered. She glanced around. "I'll distract the troublesome ANBU, you go on with the plan. I'll meet you as planned."

"How will you distract the ANBU?" Yuri questioned.

"There's only two, and one is exhausted. I've studied her chakra flow, and she has an irregular flow. She must have some disease and hasn't told anybody. It'll be a cinch," Kataki answered smugly.

"Be careful, don't do anything foolish, nee-chan," Yuri warned. Sometimes Kataki was too confident.

"I will prove my worth, he'll have to notice me," Kataki answered with a determined look.

"Mother! I love you! I'm sorry that I've been such a brat about moving here," Yuri said aloud, ending their whispered conversation.

"It's alright, Yuri-dear. Why don't you head home, I'll see you in a little bit. I have some business on the edge of town," Kataki said.

"Ok, Mother!" Yuri called. She smiled to herself as she walked in the opposite direction. The ANBU didn't follow her, obviously they decided that Kataki-nee-chan was more of a threat at this point. This was too easy.

---

"Ino, what are you doing here?"

Ino looked up to see Shikamaru standing and looking down at her. Ino knew that she'd see him; after all, this was his favorite place. Ino also knew that he always came out to this hill when he needed to think. So she decided she would try it out. She half smiled at him.

"I'm just trying you're favorite place out," Ino answered. Shikamaru smiled and laid down next to her.

"You're not going to take it from me, are you?" He asked, clasping his hands behind his head, mimicking Ino's pose. Ino laughed.

"Nah, I don't think I will. It's nice and all, but there isn't enough flowers," Ino answered

"Ino, there aren't any flowers on this hill."

"Exactly," She said.

"Why do you need flowers?" Shikamaru asked, watching the clouds drift by.

"Well, I've been around flowers my whole life. I just find a certain comfort in them," Ino said thoughtfully. Shikamaru seemed to be contemplating this, or he just watching the clouds, because he fell silent and continued to gaze up at the sky.

"What made you come out here?"

"I just need to think and be alone," Ino answered, shifting from her position. Her arms were getting numb.

"Sorry to ruin that for you."

"Nah, it's ok," Ino said, pulling up grass shots and spinning them between her fingers.

"What'd you come to think about?" Shikamaru asked. Ino tried to find another comfortable position on the grass, but sat up instead.

"I needed some space, so I came here to think about the rumor and about Kiba," She pulled up some more grass, and piled the uprooted plants in front of her.

"Oh, I heard about the rumor. Did you really sleep with him?" Ino made a face, and began ripping the shoots into little pieces. Just needing something to do with her hands.

"No, I didn't."

"What were you thinking about Kiba?" Shikamaru asked.

"What is this, 20 questions?" Ino asked with a laugh.

"No, Ino I'm serious."

"I don't want to tell you, you'll get jealous," Ino said. Shikamaru nodded, that was enough answer for him. Secretly, he had hoped that this rumor would cause them to break up. He wanted to say something about it, but he had made her a promise. They were quiet again for a while, this time the silence didn't break until it was time for Ino to leave.

"I'm supposed to meet Kiba. We have to prove the rumor wrong," Ino stood up with a sigh. Even though Shikamaru wished that they had broken up, he didn't want Ino to have to through this.

"Good luck, troublesome woman," Shikamaru said.

---

"I told you, I'm fine,"

"You look like you're going to collapse."

"You should have followed the daughter, what if she's up to something?"

"You are just trying to get me to leave you alone," He said stubbornly.

"No, I'm trying to get you to do your job," She said with a sigh.

"The daughter is heading home. The mother, she's taking care of 'business' and I need to be here to help you."

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"No matter what you say, I'm not going to leave you alone," He said, stubbornly again.

---

"Ino!"

"Naruto," Ino said in reply. She paused for him to catch up, continuing to walk once he did.

"Where are you going?" He inquired.

"I'm heading to meet Kiba so we can ask Tsunade-sama to help us prove the rumors wrong," Ino said, hating the look Naruto made as he recalled the rumor.

"Oh, that rumor," Naruto said, quietly.

"Yeah."

"Ino," Naruto said hesitantly, "I need to tell you something."

"What is it, Naruto?" Ino asked bluntly, cutting to the chase. Ino wasn't in the mood for this 'dance around' crap.

"Well, I was just trying to help and…," Naruto paused, seeming at a loss for words. Ino sighed.

"Naruto, what did you do?" Ino asked. Naruto words and the nervous look on his face told Ino that this couldn't be good news.

"I told Sakura all about…when I found you crying…and I told her what you said. And I'm pretty sure you said…'It's hard enough getting used to not sleeping with Kiba, but now he's on a mission and I miss him'" Naruto said. Ino froze.

"…_I miss him a lot. It's already hard to get used to him not sleeping with me, but when he's gone it's even harder. On that mission, we formed a strong bond…"_

"NARUTO!" Ino said, her anger flaring. Naruto flinched, but that didn't stop her fist. It connected with his jaw and sent him back a few steps. He reached up and touched the tender spot where her punch landed, and winced.

"Ino-chan…," Naruto said.

"NARUTO! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE PUT ME THROUGH?" Ino yelled, tears burning the back of her throat. Ino held up her fist again, put hesitated when he held up his hands to shield his face. "You baka!" Ino said, her voice lowered, along with her fist. He had to stifle a sigh of relief, happy to know that she was done hitting him.

"Naruto!" Her arm shot through the air, and, in horror, Naruto flinched again. She didn't hit him, though. Instead, she grabbed a hold of his collar and began to drag him down the street. "You're coming with me to see Tsunade-sama," She said.

"Naruto!"

Ino paused, and they both turned to see Yuri running down the street.

---

_Hmm, Ino is with him. I didn't really like her in the first place, so maybe I should bring her along. I wouldn't mind seeing her suffer._ Yuri thought as she ran towards the two blondes.

"What is it, Yuri-nee-chan?" Naruto asked, curiously.

"I saw a boy with raven black hair outside of Konoha in the woods a little way," Yuri said pointing in the direction, the opposite direction that Kataki-nee-chan had gone, "When I tried to ask him who he was and what he was doing, his eyes changed red and he blew a humongous fire ball at me!"

"Sasuke!" Naruto said, wiggling out of Ino's grasp and running in the direction that Yuri had pointed to.

"Naruto! Wait up!" Ino ran after him, recalling the last time he had faced Sasuke and the condition he had returned in. She couldn't just leave him by himself. Yuri smiled, and began running as well.

"Follow me, I'll show you the way," Yuri said, as she came up alongside Naruto. Naruto nodded, and they continued to run, soon on the outskirts of the village. "Just that way, in the trees," Yuri said as they neared the pre-determined meeting place. When they reached the correct clearing Yuri pointed to a branch, where he was standing.

"That's not Sasuke…," Ino said. Naruto shook his head, it wasn't Sasuke, but he still recognized this person.

"No…it's…"

**A/N: Sorry for the cliff-hanger. Ok, I admit it, I'm not really sorry. But I had to, ok? Don't you agree that cliff-hangers make the story better? Anyway, I can't wait till the next chapter. (wowza! 1762 words!)**

**-Melanie-chan**


	12. Genin vs S class Criminals!

**A/N: Picture of Yuri: http :// melanie-chan44 .deviantart. com/art/Yuri-73287885 (without the spaces)**

"_**Inner Ino"**_

"No…It's…," Naruto said, staring up at the red eyed ninja standing up above them in the trees, "Itachi."

"Itachi?" Ino questioned, "As in Uchiha Itachi?"

"Yeah, he was the one who tortured Kakashi-sensei and hurt Sasuke," Naruto said, his voice filled with hate. Ino's eyes widened. They were in trouble, Ino knew it.

"Didn't he kill his whole clan, besides Sasuke?" Ino asked, quietly.

"...Yes," Naruto said, and Ino knew as Naruto's eyes widened and the whiskers on his cheeks flared, that the worst was coming. Ino felt a sense of foreboding in her heart, and she was scared.

Itachi looked down at them, his face emotionless.

"What are you doing here!?" Naruto called up at him. Ino looked at Naruto with shock, how could he be so brave? Naruto didn't get an answer, because within minutes of his outburst, another man swooped in on the scene. He was wearing a cloak similar to Itachi's, the only difference was that he was wearing a wide brimmed hat that hid his face.

Ino braced herself for impact, but the man swooshed past her. She almost sighed with relief, that is, until she heard a strangled cry.

"You're coming with me, un," The man said, quickly leaving the scene, dragging along his unfortunate victim.

"Yuri!" Naruto cried, starting to run after her.

"NARUTO, You baka!" Ino cried. _**"I am going to kill him! How could he leave me alone with Itachi?!"**_

---

**WHAM!** Naruto fell back a few steps from the impact.

"Not so fast," A deep voice said. Naruto looked up to see that he had ran into a giant sword.

"Kisame!" Naruto said, recognizing the man's sword and blue tinted skin. The man laughed and picked his sword up again. Naruto scrambled to his feet, and miraculously, managed to dodge the swing of the sword that, if it had hit it's target, would have chopped his head off.

---

"_**I can't believe him! Just leaving me here to fight Itachi! He's WAY above my rank. If I live through this, I am going to KILL Naruto! I will torture him! UGH!" **_

Ino sighed. She would have to do something, but what could she do to a S-class criminal? The man standing in front of her had tortured Kakashi-sensei, killed most of his clan, and hurt Sasuke.

"_**I have to beat him, so I can KILL NARUTO!!"**_

What would Sakura think, if she turned around and ran home? What would Kiba think, if she cried into his chest that she had just been too scared? What would Naruto think, if she let him down? With new determination, Ino performed her jutsu. Holding her hands in front of her, and framing Itachi's form, Ino left her body.

She felt a cold chill run through her as Itachi's eyes locked with hers. He could see her? That was impossible, right?

"_**Crap! I have to reverse this jutsu!"**_

It was too late, she was already entering Itachi's body. Instantly she felt pain shoot through her being. For the few moments she had control over Itachi's body, she held her hands to her head and screamed before she felt Itachi taking control again. The pain, the horrible, head-splitting pain, died down as Ino discovered herself standing in a dark place.

"Where am I?" Ino asked, her voice repeating in an echo. Itachi materialized in front of her and looked thoughtful…or at least as close to looking thoughtful as his emotionless face could.

"Hm, Mind Transfer Jutsu. Interesting," Was Ino's only answer. Suddenly, she found herself standing in the center of Konoha and all around her, there was chaos and destruction. Hearing a scream, she turned and saw Sakura.

"Sakura!" Ino cried, but before she could do anything more, the pink-haired girl crumpled to the ground after multiple kunai pierced her in the chest.

"NO!" Naruto ran over to her and cradled her head in his arms, he was bent over her lifeless body, sobbing. Ino ran over to them, and crouched next to Naruto.

"Sakura…," Ino said. She stumbled backwards a few steps as Naruto fell forward, a long sword stuck in his back. All around her, Ino saw her comrades fall down around her, and she was unable to do anything to help. It seemed as if she wasn't there. She ran through the carnage and deafening roar of clashing battles. Then she saw him.

"Kiba!" Ino cried, running over to his body. She dropped to her knees and laid her head on his chest. It wasn't moving anymore, and she began to bawl.

"Kiba, no…no…no…," Ino cried, clenching the fabric of his jacket in her hand.

"How could this happen?" She asked, biting down on her lip so hard that it began to bleed.

Instantly, everything around her disappeared. She found herself in the darkness again. She stood shakily to her feet and looked around, dazed. It had been an illusion.

"Kiba?" A voice asked. Ino focused her gaze on the figure that had materialized again.

"Is that your important person?" Itachi asked, his voice cold. Ino clenched her fists.

"_**HOW COULD I HAVE FALLEN FOR THAT!?"**_

"He's here, he's come to save you," He continued. Ino glared at the man who wasn't that much older than herself.

"But he's not going to succeed," Itachi said, "What I just showed you, that is what's going to happen."

"SHUT UP!" Ino cried. A cold laughter echoed in the darkness.

"I could just kill him now, do you want to watch?"

"SHUT UP!" Ino cried again, her voice sounding hysterical. Ino could feel toes, then ankles, and the awareness and feeling spread up until she could feel her head. Except, it wasn't her head, it was Itachi's. The darkness fell away and Ino could see the clearing. Ino tried to bring her arm up, she tried to yell a warning, but all she could do was watch.

"Ino!"

Ino struggled against Itachi's control, as she saw Kiba running towards her body.

"_**KIBA! No! Run the other way!"**_

---

Naruto heard an ear-splitting scream, but it wasn't Ino. The voice was lower, and rougher. Obviously belonging to a male. Naruto peered through the trees and saw Ino laying on ground, and Itachi holding his head. It was Itachi who was screaming. But…, Ino's was laying on the ground. So that meant…she was inside of Itachi. So that had to be her screaming.

"INO!" Naruto cried, "In-, OOF!"

The orange-suited shinobi flew back and went through several trees before finally stopping. Wiping away the blood coming from his mouth, Naruto stood. There were tears and open cuts in the front of his shirt where the sword had hit him.

"This isn't any fun," Kisame said, looking like a disappointed child, "At least try to stay alive."

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto said, putting his hands together. Kisame laughed.

"A Shadow Clone, eh?" Kisame asked. The clone began making circles around Naruto's hand. But before Naruto could finish his technique, Kisame swooshed in and chopped the clone in half. Resulting in a puff of smoke. Thinking quick, Naruto used the smoke as cover to leap up into the trees.

Putting his hands together again, Naruto smiled as hundreds of Naruto clones filled the area around Kisame.

"Heh," Kisame said, smiling. **Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!** Kisame swung his sword in a wide arc. **Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!** Kisame swung his sword in the opposite direction.

"Over here Shark boy!"

"Hey Fish-Brains!"

"Gills, you missed!"

"Yo, Sharky!"

**Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!**

"Worm breath!"

**Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!**

Suddenly, Kisame launched his sword through the air. It embedded in the tree, inches from a wide-eyed Naruto. With a poof, Kisame disappeared and reappeared in front of the real Naruto.

"You didn't think I saw you, eh?" Kisame said, pulling his sword free from the wood. He swung it, cutting the tree in half, but Naruto ducked and swung below the branch. Two clones jumped from the ground. **Poof! Poof!** They had done their part, the real Naruto had escaped again.

**Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!**

"Why do you bother hiding? I'm going to find you!" Kisame trumpeted to the clearing surrounding him.

**Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! THUNK!**

With a fluid motion, Kisame sliced a big tree in half. Naruto cursed under his breath as the tree he was hiding in, crashed toward the ground. He leapt from the tree, and was met mid-air by Kisame and his large sword.

He maneuvered his sword in the air, and sent Naruto flying towards the ground. When Naruto made contact with the ground, dirt flew up in a cloud and drifted lazily on the air. Kisame plummeted towards the ground, sword pointed down, following the path Naruto took.

"_I got carried away, I wasn't supposed to kill him._ _Leader-sama isn't going to be happy, neither is Itachi…," _Were Kisame's thoughts as he entered the thick dust cloud. It was too late; his sword was impaling into it's target. But as the smoke cleared, Kisame's sword was planted deep in a log. The boy had gotten away again. But how? At the speed he had hit the ground, the boy shouldn't have been able to move.

---

The blue-haired girl pressed a cup to his lips and tipped it. He sputtered and some of the medicine dribbled down his chin.

"Naruto-kun, y-you have to drink t-this," She said, pressing the cup to his lips again. This time he grabbed the cup from her and gulped it down.

"Thanks, Hinata," Naruto said, smiling. Hinata blushed and nodded her head.

"Y-your welcome, Naruto-kun," Hinata said. Suddenly, Naruto stood up.

"Where's Kisame?" He asked, looking around. Hinata pointed, she hadn't been able to get Naruto far away enough. They were still in the same clearing as the blue-skinned man.

"Did you come alone?" He asked. Hinata shook her head.

"Shino-kun and Kiba-kun are i-in the next clearing over, where w-we found Ino's b-body and t-the other guy," Hinata said. Naruto nodded.

"Hinata, you stay here," Naruto said, leaping back down into the clearing.


	13. I have a plan

**A/N: Sorry for taking a long time to post this. I had really bad writers block for this story. But I finally got the chapter up! Great, neh? Anyway, this probably would have been up yesterday, but there was a lot of drama going on. So, you know how things go. Well. Enjoy!**

**_"Inner Ino"_**

**Dedicated to my best friends. I love you guys, and I hope we'll be best friends forever.**

The earth rumbled as a giant tiger, composed of snow, thundered through the trees. It leapt in the air and caught the two fleeing ANBU members. It slammed it's claws into the ground, forming a makeshift icy prison.

Kataki walked up to the cage, a smile bright on her lips. She ran a hand down one icy claw and laughed.

"The ANBU here are rather pathetic," She said, still laughing. The female ANBU growled and attacked the ice claws with her kunai. Kataki's laughing grew louder, amused at the tired ANBU's attempts to escape. The male ANBU covered the claws with exploding notes and Kataki, with a surprised gasp, leapt back to avoid the explosion.

A large crack ran up the tiger's leg, and the great icy being began to crumble apart.

"_How could they survive the explosion and getting smashed with all that snow and ice. This battle is over, and I didn't even get to play with them much. Oh well, I'll still prove my worth to Itachi-san," _Thought Kataki as she watched the snow settle.

---

"NO!" Ino cried, struggling against Itachi's control. The kunai missed Kiba by mere inches. The effort to make it miss by so little was energy consuming and Ino was already starting to get exhausted. The torture and fighting against Itachi's control took up most of her chakra. She wouldn't be able to last much longer like this. She needed to get out.  
Ino struggled, trying to dispel the jutsu and return to her body. Adrenaline began to pump through her veins as she no longer felt Itachi's body.

"_**CHEA-YAA! I'm getting the heck out of here!" **_

Suddenly, Ino felt herself falling. There was black all around her, pressing in on her from all sides, and she had no idea where she was going or what was happening. After an eternity of falling, or so it seemed, she landed. Flat on her back, the air was knocked out of her.

She tried to draw in big gulps of air, but she couldn't get enough, and she felt like she was suffocating.

"_**Take deep breaths, I'm getting way too worked up here. This guy's got me panicking!"**_

Ino forced her breaths to slow down, and become more steady. If she was too worked up, she wouldn't be able to get out of here.

"_**I've just got to be cool headed like Shika!"**_

Ino stood shakily to her feet and gazed warily around her. Everything was so dark, she couldn't see anything. She took a deep breath, and going with her instincts, began to run straight, further into the unknown.

---

Naruto landed in front of Kisame.

"What did you guys do with Yuri?" Naruto shouted.

"We haven't done anything…yet," Kisame said, seeming to enjoy Naruto's anger. Naruto clenched a fist.

"Don't touch her!" Naruto sprang forward with a war cry and threw three kunai at him. With one swing of his sword, Kisame deflected the kunai and, with another swing, flung Naruto back and into a tree trunk.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata cried, jumping down to where he was.

"H-Hinata, get back, this guy's dangerous," Naruto said, forcing his body out of the trunk. Hinata watched Naruto for a few minutes, then a determined look came on her face.

"N-Naruto-kun. Y-you always say t-that you'll protect y-your friends n-no matter what. Well, y-you're my friend and I-I'm going to help you," Hinata said. Naruto smiled and nodded.

"Ok, Hinata."

---

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune cried, barging into the Hokage's office. Tsunade jumped guiltily and attempted to hide her bottle of sake.

"Mm, yes?" Tsunade answered.

"Tsunade-sama, where did you get that bottle from!? I thought I had gotten rid of them all!" Shizune said, staring at Hokage in disbelief.

"That doesn't matter right this minute, why did you barge in on me?" Tsunade asked, trying to avoid the matter of her drinking.

"Oh, yeah," Shizune said, her face growing serious again, "The two we've been keeping an eye on and the ANBU assigned to them have disappeared."

"WHAT!?" Tsunade demanded. She began pulling out papers.

"Do you want me to gather a group of jounins?" Shizune asked.

"Yes, as quick as you can," Tsunade mumbled, still looking at her papers.

---

"EEAH!" Hinata cried as the sword made contact with her.

"Hinata!" Twenty Narutos cried. One of leapt over to where she was.

"I-I'm ok Naruto-k-kun," Hinata said, getting shakily to her feet. She watched as ranks of

Narutos where cut through and reduced to a puff of smoke. He was so brave, he was so strong.

"Are you sure?" He asked. He was so caring. Hinata nodded. She watched Kisame intently. If she was going to be any use at all to Naruto, she'd have to cut off Kisame's chakra flow. Getting to his chakra points was going to be tricky though, especially when he was wielding that big sword.

"N-Naruto-kun. Get rid o-of his sword," Hinata said. Naruto turned away from her to look at the blue skinned man. He seemed to be sizing him up, and turned to look back at Hinata after a moment.

"You got a plan?" Naruto asked. Hinata smiled. _"When did the most spontaneous ninja in Konoha start planning things out?"_ Hinata wondered, briefly.

"Yes," Hinata answered. She was going to be like Naruto. She was going to protect her loved ones. She was going to show Naruto how strong she had become.

"Then I'll do everything I can to get rid of that sword," Naruto promised, with a thumbs up sign and a wide grin. Hinata nodded.

---

"Mother? Father?" A young voice asked. Ino turned to look, seeing a faint light trickling in from an open doorway into the dark. She then spotted a small figure, he had opened the door and walked in.

"Mother? Father?" The young boy repeated. With a gasp, Ino recognized the small figure.  
But what was he doing here? Where ever here was...


	14. Jounin to the Rescue

**A/N: Hey everybody. Sorry for the long wait. Well, here's the next chapter, finally.**

**Dedicated: To my bestest friends, I love them.**

"Sasuke-kun?" Ino asked. Of course she didn't have feelings for him anymore, but calling him 'Sasuke-kun' was a habit that was hard to break.

He didn't answer.

"Mother! Father!" He repeated once again, but he sounded afraid.

"What's going on here?" Ino asked.

She still didn't get an answer.

---

The jounins leapt through the trees. They had to hurry if they'd be able to help at all. Genin against S class missing nin was not a fair match to say the least.

As they drew nearer, they were able to make out chakra signatures. Leaping faster, they were able to see the ninja in the clearing ahead.

"Ino?" Asuma said, seeing her body lying on the ground. From the distance, he couldn't tell if she was in jutsu or…dead. He picked up his speed. He wasn't the only one though, Kurenai did also, seeing her own team in the clearing ahead.

Asuma was the first in the clearing. He landed beside Kiba.

"What's going on?" Asuma asked Kiba, gesturing to Ino's body.

"Ino's inside of Itachi," Kiba said, looking up at the missing nin. Asuma looked up at the black haired teenager as well.

"Itachi," Kurenai said in a low, dangerous voice.

"Where's Naruto?" Kakashi asked, looking around the clearing for the obnoxious blonde. Shino pointed at the next clearing over.

"He's over there fighting the blue skinned man, with Hinata," Shino said. Kakashi nodded.

"Gai and I'll go over to help Naruto and Hinata, you two stay here," Kakashi said, leaping away. Gai followed close after him.

---

Naruto kicked the sword up in the air.

_This is my chance,_ Hinata thought. _I can't mess this up, it might be my only chance._

She leapt forward, activating her byugukan. With arms outstretched, she cut off one chakra point.

Kisame, without his sword, threw a punch at the quiet, blue haired girl. But the punch was intercepted by Naruto.

Hinata squealed in surprise as Naruto went flying.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata cried out. She raced over to where he landed.

His blonde hair was a mess, twigs and leaves where mixed along the tangles. Blood dripped from his mouth and a gash on his forehead. His arms, legs, and stomach were all torn up from Kisame's sword.

Hinata couldn't believe that she had let him get this hurt. Hadn't she promised that she would do anything she could to keep him safe?

_I let you down, Naruto-kun,_ Hinata thought sadly.

---

Kiba reached down to touch Ino's cheek. It was still warm. A good sign.

He gently eased his arms underneath her, and eased her into a more comfortable position.

---

Ino's mouth fell open in horror as she watched Itachi kill his own parents, in front of Sasuke.

This was horrible. How could Itachi be so evil? She watched as Sasuke was forced to watch the death of all his clan members.

No wonder Sasuke was so quiet and reserved. No one had understood him. No one understood why he was like he was. No one had truly known him.

Ino extended a hand out, walking towards the poor tormented boy. She gently brought it down on his head, surprised that she could touch him. She half expected her hand to go through him.

She ran her hand across his dark hair, it was soft under her fingers, and wished that she could have comforted him. She wished she had known.

"Sasuke-kun," Ino said sadly.

---

"How long has Ino been inside of him?" Asuma asked, a worried look on his face.

"I don't know, she was like this when we got there," Kiba answered, looking worried as well.

"Why would she stay in Itachi's body for so long?" Asuma questioned aloud, his brow furrowing.

"I don't know…I think she's stuck," Kiba said, looking perplexed.

"Stuck?" Kurenai echoed.

"Itachi is a genius. It's possible he could have trapped her in his mind," Asuma said, contemplating this.

"CAN WE STOP STANDING AROUND WHEN INO'S STUCK IN THIS GUY! LET'S DO SOMETHING!" Kiba exploded. Asuma's eyebrows rose in surprise at Kiba's outburst. Kurenai's didn't, however, for she was used to this and knew that Kiba was really attached to Ino.

"Ok, Kiba," Kurenai said, pulling out a kunai. Asuma pulled out his weapon.

"_Kiba, aren't these flowers just lovely? They just arrived today, imported from the waterfall country, you know Odori's home." Ino asked, holding up a bouquet for him to see._

"_Yeah, they are, not as lovely as you though," Kiba said, never missing the chance to compliment his girlfriend. She smiled._

"_They're not as lovely as you either," Ino replied. She put the flowers in a vase, "Wait here a second, I'm going to close up the shop."_

_Kiba nodded and waited for the blonde haired, blue eyed beauty to come back. When she did, he grabbed her hand -lacing his fingers with hers- and led her out of the shop. Only pausing to let Ino flip the sign from 'open' to 'closed'. _

"_Ino, I think if anything ever happens to you, I'll die," Kiba said. Ino looked at him surprised._

"_What do you mean?" Ino asked._

"_I mean, that'll I'll die before I let anything or anyone hurt you," Kiba said, determined. Ino smiled softly, walking closer to him so she could rest her head on his shoulder._

"I can't let anything happen to her," Kiba said, pulling out a solider pill. He tossed it to his dog companion, Akamaru, who caught it in his mouth.

---

"Hinata. Naruto," Kakashi said, landing beside Hinata.

"Kakashi-sensei, Gai-sensei," Hinata acknowledged.

"What happened?" Kakashi asked, staying by Hinata and Naruto, while Gai turned to face the blue skinned man.

They were talking, but Kakashi paid no attention to him.

"W-we were fighting t-the guy over there, b-but he was too s-strong for us. I thought that if I could s-stop his chakra f-flow that we could at l-least have a chance of s-surviving," Hinata said, timidly.

"It didn't work?" Kakashi assumed aloud.

"I was able to cut off o-one chakra p-point. But then he tried t-to hit me, and N-Naruto-kun jumped in the w-way," Hinata said, nodding sadly. Kakashi put a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"It's ok Hinata, you did your best. That's all that counts," Kakashi said, his comforting smile reaching his one exposed eye. If it hadn't been for that, Hinata wouldn't have even known that he had smiled, since he covered most of his face with a mask.


	15. Check his Vital Signs!

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I've been busy lately. **

**Dedicated: To everybody who made my spring break awesome. Love ya guys!**

**Disclaimer: I didn't own Naruto any of the other chapters. Why would I now?**

Kiba jumped back, pausing to catch his breath and wipe his brow. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn't able to even get near Itachi, even with the help of the jounin. He looked over at his dog companion, Akamaru, and saw that the dog was breathing heavy as well.

Kiba glanced over at Shino, seeing if the quiet boy had any ideas, but he was busy fighting alongside the jounin. His gaze snapped back to Itachi when Akamaru began to bark wildly.

Itachi was clutching his head in his hands, muttering something that Kiba couldn't quite catch.

"What's going on?" Kiba asked, but he received no answer. 

Suddenly, Itachi straightened up, his blood red eyes locking onto Kiba's dark ones for the second time. Kiba felt a sudden pang of fear, his body tensed, and his instincts told him to flee. He felt like he was a prey looking in the eyes of a deadly predator preparing to swoop in and kill him.

Kiba crouched, ready to spring away to safety, about to succumb to his intense instincts, screaming at him to move, to flee. He would have, had he not heard her voice.

"Kiba…" It was soft and pain filled. Kiba twisted around, in a sharp, jerky move, and looked at the blonde haired figure that, moments ago, had been laying down on the ground. Now she was sitting up.

"Ino, are you ok? You were inside his mind for a really long time, Asuma sai-" Kiba started.

"Kiba! Behind you!" Ino cried, interrupting him. Kiba's stomach muscles contracted painfully as he realized that he had forgotten about the deadly Missing Nin standing behind him. Even for a few seconds, letting your guard down or losing track of your enemy could be your death.

He turned in time to see a flock of kunai flying at him. Kiba instinctively ducked, not expecting to hear Ino's shrill cry. With a frustrated noise, Kiba turned back to his girlfriend. Everything was too hectic.

Kiba found her sitting among the fallen kunai, one piercing her arm. She looked up at him, tears brimming her eyes, her blonde hair free from it's tie and framing her face like a mane.

Itachi must have hurt Ino, she couldn't defend herself. So he had to protect her and himself.

Kiba ran to her side, pulling her arm towards him so he could get a look at the wound. With a gentle hand, he put a hand on the kunai and pulled.

Ino's other hand snaked out and grabbed his hand.

"Woof woof, dog boy," She said, a grin that Kiba did not recognize plastered on her face.

She laughed, it was a horrible, high pitched screeching noise. Then, black began to run across her body. With wide eyes, Kiba watched as Ino's body turned into a withering pile of rats.

They were humongous-two were almost the size of Akamaru-and they were staring at him with their big, yellow teeth and beady, black eyes. They made squabbling and squeaking noises, glaring at the brown haired shinobi with death intent.

The biggest one, twitched it's whiskered nose and leapt at Kiba. Following his lead, the other jumped at him. 

Kiba, on ninja reflexes, dropped down and rolled out of the way. Black wings sprouted from their backs, and they u-turned and came back at him. 

_This is an illusion, Itachi's genjutsu. I just have to get out of it. But how? I never learned how to dispel genjutsu._

Kiba dodged rat after rat, twisting and turning every which way. A gust of wind blew up a bunch of leaves, and they joined in the fray as well.

Floating above Kiba's head, he noticed them go from dead-dull, to metal-shiny. Then they started flying at him as well. It was too much.

Just trying to get away, Kiba did a replacement jutsu and burrowed into the ground. Once safely in the dirt, he was able to catch his breath. Then he heard a scratchy noise, and then he felt something furry brush past his arm. Something scurried by his foot.

The smell of rats met his nose again, stronger then the surrounding dirt. 

"AHHH!" He yelled in frustration and jumping out from the ground. 

Then it all stopped.

All the animals froze.

Then, they all faded into nothingness.

_The genjutsu is going away? Itachi's releasing it?_

Kiba looked around him, finding himself on the ground, trying to figure out what happened while he was out. He could feel a certain tenseness in the air.

He looked over at Ino, making sure that she was there and that she was ok.

"Is he alright?" 

"Check his vital signs!"

"He's gone…dead…"

"No!"


	16. Nothing

_No wonder Sasuke was so quiet and reserved. No one had understood him. No one understood why he was like he was. No one had truly known him._

_Ino extended a hand out, walking towards the poor tormented boy. She gently brought it down on his head, surprised that she could touch him. She half expected her hand to go through him._

_She ran her hand across his dark hair, it was soft under her fingers, and wished that she could have comforted him. She wished she had known._

_"Sasuke-kun," Ino said sadly._

"Don't call me Sasuke-kun," Little Sasuke said, grabbing Ino's hand in a strong grip, squeezing hard enough to hurt.

"Y-you're hurting me," Ino said, shocked. Seconds ago, Sasuke couldn't see her. Or at least he acted as though he couldn't.

"I was never your Sasuke-kun and I never will be," Sasuke continued, ignoring her words.

Ino struggled against his grip, trying to pull away. This was ridiculous, he was just a kid.

"You're worthless. Ending your friendship over someone who cares nothing for you, shirking your shinobi duties, caring more about your looks. Vain, stupid, weak," Sasuke said.

"Sakura…," Ino murmured. For it was her who truly ended the friendship.

He grabbed her other wrist, and Ino found that she couldn't move her body anymore. He shoved her, and Ino fell.

"Sakura would have won, she was always better," Sasuke said, just before Ino fell through the wooden floors of the Uchiha Complex.

She watched the square, wooden floor grow smaller as she fell further and further away. After a while, she felt herself slowing.

Ino floated in a large expanse of nothing.

"Am I dead?" Ino asked, her voice echoing all around her, but at the same time making no noise.

Ino cried, but her eyes were dry. She was floating, but she was sinking. She felt dead, but felt very alive at the same time.

Everything contradicted.

"Yes, you're dead," A voice said, and Ino wasn't certain if it echoed around her or if it was only in her mind.

"Dead?" She asked, trying to remember, "How?"

"You died cowering. You died, hiding behind you're teammates. You died, taking your companions' lives with you," The voice said.

"No…no…no, that's not possible. They can't die," Ino said, feeling hysteria build up inside of her.

"They can," The voice said, smug.

"Who…who killed them?"

"I already told you, you killed them."

It was lying. The voice was only trying to hurt her.

"I do not lie," The voice said.

"Who are you?" Ino demanded, angry and scared at the same time.

"I am your Death. I am your Life. I am your Happiness. I am your Sorrow. I am your Anger. I am your Passion. I am your Jealousy. I am your Love. I am your Hate. I am You," The voice said, and this time Ino noticed the femininity of the voice.

"You can't be me, I'm me," Ino reasoned. Laughter filled the space around her and in her mind.

Footsteps echoed, and Ino saw a figure walking in her direction. As the person drew closer, Ino was able to make out more details.

A girl. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. She was beautiful. She was familiar.

"I am you," The girl said, locking eyes on her. Ino wondered briefly what the girl was walking on, seeing no floor.

"But, who am I?" Ino asked, realizing that she didn't remember anything, not even her own name. She looked down at her hands, but saw nothing.

Ino's gaze shot up as she heard a chuckle.

"You are nothing," The girl said.

"But, you are me, so that would make you nothing," Ino said.

"No, I am more you than you ever were," She said, blue eyes sparkling.

"That doesn't make any sense," Ino growled, frustrated.

"On the contrary, it makes perfect sense," The girl drew closer, not stopping until she was face-to-face with Ino.

Fleetingly, Ino reached out with her hand. The girl before her grew brighter and brighter, until she burned Ino's eyes. The insane impulse to touch her grew stronger, but also drew warnings from her brain.

"Don't touch her, she'll burn you," Her brain warned her.

"But she's so pretty," She argued against the logic.

"Don't do it…,"

But Ino ignored the warning, logic had no place here. The girl, that was supposedly her, simmered with heat, but gave none off. Touching her, Ino discovered that the girl was ice cold.

"You're cold…," Ino said, the words sounding strange on her tongue.

The girl's light grew from her body, running down Ino's arm and out into the space surrounding them. Brighter and brighter, wider and wider, it grew until it encompassed Ino in a light-filled sphere.

"He's dead…," The girl said, her voice soft and faded. Then she disappeared.

"Who's dead?" Ino asked, "Where am I?"

Suddenly, Ino was impacted by a strong feeling of weakness. Her head hurt, and she fell to her knees inside the ball of light. It felt as if the light was stealing her energy and strength, using it to fuel it's intense brightness.

"Pain…I'm not dead," Ino muttered, not conscious that the words left her mouth.

"Not dead, not alive," A voice said, a different voice from before. There was no mistaking the masculine deepness of the voice. It sent shivers down her back, goose bumps down her arms.

"I hate you," Ino whispered, "Why did you kill him?"

"Because he stood in the way, I was aiming to kill you," The voice answered, his voice cruel, "Such are the consequences for foiling my plan and penetrating my mind."

"But I never got the chance to meet him," Ino said, sadly.

"You had several chances to meet him, but you never seized the opportunities," The voice said softly, though anger laced his words, "You are not worth the time, you are not worth the life your mother has given you."

"My mother…," Ino mused, trying to remember of such a person, "I do not recall her. I do not recall anything. I am nothing."

"You are a disgrace," The voice said with disdain.

"That what she told me. She told me I was nothing," Ino whispered again, a smile on her face, "Not my mother, myself. She was beautiful, I'm beautiful."

The yellow light burned brightly, turning a devastating white.

"I am something!" Ino cried, suddenly. The passion of her voice echoed repeatedly, more than it should. A dark line appeared in the light, running along the side and growing.

Amused, Ino touched it, and around her the white ball of light shattered. Sharp pieces of light floating in the nothingness around her. Nothing. Unlike her.

"I am something," Ino continued, feeling strength growing inside her again, "If I was nothing, then I wouldn't be conscious, I wouldn't be able to talk."

Ino grabbed a shard of light, looking into it. She saw the girl again, but she looked battered, though there was a bright smile adorning her features. Ino squeezed the shard and watched her blood trail down, over her reflection. The reflection's smile vanished, replaced with a pain-filled grimace.

"Nothing…," It whispered.

Anger seized Ino and she threw the shard. Leaving a trail of light behind it, it exploded in a fantastic display of light. Ino ran after it, reaching it just as the light subsided.

The shard stuck out of a door. The door was plain, nothing extraordinary about it. The light shard faded, from white to yellow to nothing.

Ino took the door knob in her hand, marveling at the smoothness of it. It was warm and worn, opposite of what she would have expected.

Memories assaulted her.

Her name was Yamanaka Ino. She had a mother, and she could now recall her. Shikamaru and Chouji were her teammates. She remembered a mission with Kiba. She remembered Kiba. Kiba…

Ino twisted the door knob, knowing that this would lead her to him.

It was locked.

"Kiba!" Ino said, leaning her forehead against the door, letting frustrated tears loose.

"It's locked…," Ino sobbed.

"…The light shard…," Something whispered in her ear.

Ino straightened up and looked at the door again. A thin line was the only thing left from the light shard. Pressing two fingers to it, the line yielded to her touch, widening. Ino pressed harder, and soon she was able to slip on finger into it.

Then two. Then three. Then she could fit them all in, doing so, she began to pull it apart. It was a lot of effort, but Ino wasn't willing to quit.

When the hole was big enough to fit through, Ino hesitated and looked back at the nothingness behind her.

"Farewell, Itachi, next time I see you, I will be stronger. And I will kill you," Ino said. Turning back, she slipped out the hole.

Next was the familiar sensation of returning to her body.

She sat up, looking for him.

"He's really dead," Ino whispered, her head aching fiercely, "Damn you, Itachi."

Everything faded, and Ino fainted.


	17. Visiting and Reliving

**A/N: Hello, everybody! I can't believe it's chapter 17 already. Crazy.**

**Dedication: To all my awesome reviewers! The Insane Masseffect Fan, Sasukekunluver, Starchii, oztan, ManaTatsumiya, XxX-Albino-X-Nin-XxX,** **nikki2112**, **auntiehippie**, **InoXXPig**, **Skye-Sama**.

**And Special Dedication to: narutardedbandgeek, my best friend in real life, and ForgottenLovedOne for being a super awesome and supportive reviewer.**

Ino's footsteps echoed inside the hospital, bouncing off the white, sanitized hallway walls. She hesitated at an intersection, pulling out of small slip of paper to check the number again. Inspecting the number plates on the different hallways, Ino turned down the one on the right.

"_Am I dead?" Ino asked, her voice echoing all around her, but at the same time making no noise._

The echoing footsteps resumed, as she walked down the hallway and looked intently at the number plates on the door.

"_You died cowering. You died, hiding behind you're teammates. You died, taking your companions' lives with you," The voice said._

"105...107...109...111...113...115," Ino murmured as she passed each respective door. She stopped at 115 and pulled out the slip of paper again, to double check one last time, before she shifted her picnic basket to the other hand and knocked on the door.

"_Who are you?" Ino demanded, angry and scared at the same time._

A nurse opened the door, a smile lighting up her features as she saw Ino.

"_I am your Death. I am your Life. I am your Happiness. I am your Sorrow. I am your Anger. I am your Passion. I am your Jealousy. I am your Love. I am your Hate. I am You," The voice said, and this time Ino noticed the femininity of the voice._

"Hello, Yamanaka-san," The nurse said, opening the door fully so Ino could step in, "Come in, he should be waking up shortly."

"_But, who am I?" Ino asked, realizing that she didn't remember anything, not even her own name. She looked down at her hands, but saw nothing._

"Thanks," Ino said, bowing to the nurse before she passed her. The nurse left the room, closing the door behind her.

"_You are nothing," The girl said._

"Hinata, how is he?" Ino asked the blue haired girl, sitting beside her in the chair.

"A lot better, c-considering," Hinata said, a small smile on her face.

"And how are you?" Ino asked, turning a critical eye on her.

"I'm fine," Hinata said, blushing under Ino's intense studying, "What about you, shouldn't you be resting?"

Ino scowled.

"Look! I have no injuries," Ino said, showing her arms to the meek shinobi.

"Not visible, at least," Hinata said, seeming more bolder than before the fight, "And the medic-nin told you to rest."

_Suddenly, Ino was impacted by a strong feeling of weakness. Her head hurt, and she fell to her knees inside the ball of light. It felt as if the light was stealing her energy and strength, using it to fuel it's intense brightness._

"I am resting, I haven't trained at all," Ino said, crossing her arms and looking at the ninja sleeping in the bed.

"I think they meant for you to stay in bed," Hinata pressed, genuinely concerned.

"If they meant for me to stay in bed, then they would have said 'bed rest'," Ino said, stubbornly, "I'm a kunoichi, I bounce back."

Hinata smiled at Ino. She admired her passion, and wish she was as confident as the blonde.

"Hinata…Ino…,where am I?" Came a raspy, male-voice.

Surprised, Ino and Hinata looked to the bed.

"Ah, Naruto, you're awake," Ino said, pulling her basket to her lap and began digging in it, "I brought you some Instant-Ramen. You must be hungry, since you've been out for about two days."

"Out?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Remember, Kisame?" Hinata said, quietly, but without stuttering.

"Kisame!" Naruto cried, sitting up quickly, "Ouch."

"Naruto, calm down," Ino scolded, "Most of your wounds are healed, but that doesn't mean you're all better. Besides, Kisame is long gone."

"_My mother…," Ino mused, trying to remember of such a person, "I do not recall her. I do not recall anything. I am nothing."_

"It's true, Naruto-kun," Hinata said.

"Hinata, I remember…you were great," Naruto praised.

"_That what she told me. She told me I was nothing," Ino whispered again, a smile on her face, "Not my mother, myself. She was beautiful, I'm beautiful."_

"T-t-thanks, N-Naruto-k-kun," Hinata said, stuttering fiercely at his compliment, her face a brilliant red.

"I think I'm going to go, take care Hinata, Naruto," Ino said, smiling at the pair. They were almost too cute.

"Wait," Naruto said, and Ino paused mid-stand, "Didn't you say you had Instant-Ramen?"

Ino laughed and handed Naruto the container. Waving in farewell, Ino left the room and closed the door behind her.

"_Nothing…," It whispered._

Ino stopped outside the door, pulling out the sheet of paper to look at the second number on it. After tucking the paper away and checking to make sure the lid to the picnic basket was closed, Ino left the door and walked back towards the intersection.

"_Kiba!" Ino said, leaning her forehead against the door, letting frustrated tears loose._

"_It's locked…," Ino sobbed._

Ino crossed the intersection, crossing straight across to the hallway opposite. The hospital hallways were eerily quiet, all the occupants in rooms, except for the occasional visitor or medic-nin spotted traveling through the hallway, focused on their next destination.

"_He's dead…," The girl said, her voice soft and faded. Then she disappeared._

Ino unconsciously slowed her pace, paying more attention to the decorations in the hallway. Admiring a child's crayon drawing, a framed oil painting of a boat, a beautiful arrangement of flowers she remembered putting together not to long before the fight.

"_I hate you," Ino whispered, "Why did you kill him?"_

"How am I going to break the news to him?" Ino asked aloud, reminding herself of task looming in front of her.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Sakura asked, from right behind Ino, making the blonde girl jump.

"_Sakura would have won, she was always better," Sasuke said, just before Ino fell through the wooden floors of the Uchiha Complex._

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" Ino said, placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart. She must of really been out of it not to notice Sakura walking up behind her.

_The girl's light grew from her body, running down Ino's arm and out into the space surrounding them. Brighter and brighter, wider and wider, it grew until it encompassed Ino in a light-filled sphere._

"I didn't sneak up on you, I said your name at least four times," Sakura said, "It's not my fault you weren't paying attention."

_The yellow light burned brightly, turning a devastating white._

"I'm sorry," Ino said, looking away from Sakura and down the hallway, "I just don't know how to tell him. How do you tell some one that their teammate died?"

Ino imagined herself in his place. What if it were her and Shikamaru of Chouji had died? Her heart hurt just thinking about it.

"I'll go with you," Sakura said, taking Ino's hand.

"_He's really dead," Ino whispered, her head aching fiercely, "Damn you, Itachi."_

"Thanks," Ino said, appreciative for the support. How she'd been dreading having to tell him. She had thought about pushing the responsibility off onto someone else, but she found herself unable to do so.

"_Farewell, Itachi, next time I see you, I will be stronger. And I will kill you," Ino said. Turning back, she slipped out the hole._

He had died because of her. And Ino vowed to hunt Itachi down and kill him, to avenge his death. Sasuke be damned.


	18. Breaking the News

Ino stopped in front of his door, taking a deep breath. She jumped slightly when Sakura placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's ok, just calm down," Sakura said soothingly.

"I know…I just can't help it, I'm nervous," Ino said, smoothing her shirt absently in her nervousness.

Since Ino wasn't knocking, Sakura knocked. She knew Ino was dreading walking in. _Poor Ino_.

"Are you ready to go in?" Sakura asked.

"_Ino, c'mere," Kiba said, beckoning to her with a big, excited grin on his face. _

"_What?" She asked, twisting a long, blonde lock around her finger and returning his enthusiastic grin._

"_I want to show you something!" He said, coming closer and pulling on her arm. _

"_Ok, ok, Naruto," Ino said through a sly smile. Kiba's smile didn't even falter at her jab, and he kept pulling on her arm, not pausing until she was moving behind him in a speed fast enough for his eagerness, to get wherever it was he was taking her._

"_You're going to love this," Kiba said, running faster. Ino followed suit and picked up her own pace so she could keep up with Kiba._

_They ran out of Konoha, waving at the guards as the passed, and veered off the path not too far from the gates. Once off the well-established path, Kiba lead Ino to the edge of the forest surrounding Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves._

_At first Ino thought they were going to run through the trees, in ninja-fashion on the branches, but Kiba kept to the ground and took her down a small path, most likely animal made. _

_It went straight for about a half mile or so, then began to curve ever so slightly, heading east and ending abruptly at a medium-sized creek._

_Kiba paused to look back at her, making sure she was still with him and within sight, before leaping the creek. Ino ran and jumped too, landing on the water's edge and slipping on the mud._

_She flung her arms out, almost wildly in her surprise, but was able to catch her balance instead of falling back into the water. Brushing her bangs from her face, Ino focused her chakra in the soles of her feet and in her leg muscles so she could catch up with Kiba._

_Ino let her focus slip on her chakra, running with her own speed and stamina, no longer chakra enhanced, once she caught up with Kiba._

_They were now running down another animal path, this one thin and winding. Together, they followed it, but not as long as they followed the previous path, because a few minutes down the path, Kiba turned and ran off the path._

_About 30 feet or so, Ino wasn't paying enough attention to that to know exact numbers, they entered a small clearing. It was darker and cooler in the clearing, the branches intertwining forming a roof and providing a natural air conditioning system._

_Ino blinked, trying to adjust to the dimness of the clearing. In the clearing, it was quiet, only the sounds of their breathing and the muffled sounds of forest life._

"_What was it that you wanted to show me?" Ino asked, once her breathing was more normal and her eyes had adjusted._

"_Over here," Kiba pointed at a log and walked around it. He was crouching when Ino followed him around the log. She copied him and crouched._

"_Oh," An awestruck Ino said, carefully reaching a hand out._

"_I've never seen a flower like it before, so I figured it's rare," Kiba said, looking pleased at her reaction._

"_It is," Ino whispered, pressing a soft finger to it's beautiful petal._

"_I bet it'd make a lot of money," Kiba said._

"_I don't think we should sell it," Ino said, "I think we should come back here, this be our special spot. Where we can think and talk. Let's protect this flower, and when it produces seeds, we'll keep them and plant them here in this spot. It can represent us."_

"_You're right," Kiba said, nodding solemnly._

_And so they did. They came back to the spot often. Sometimes they were quiet, sometimes they talked, and sometimes they even yelled. It was their spot. Their haven. Their safe place._

_One time, they talked about their friends. _

_Ino told Kiba about how Chouji, Shikamaru, and her had known each other since they were babies. And she told him about how she had been reluctant to be on a team with them, because they were 'losers'._

_Kiba told her about how he'd been friends with Shikamaru, Chouji, and the other boys of Konoha as younger kids. But mostly, he had talked about his friendship with Shino._

"_Before we had been placed on the same team, I didn't know him at all. He was always quiet and reserved. But after that, and after a while, I was able to read his emotions from body language. I was able to get him to have actual conversations, which is a lot for someone as quiet as him. I learned a lot about him and he's learned a lot about me. We're best friends. I can say that now," He had said. _

Ino sniffed and rubbed her eyes. Tears building up until she couldn't hold them back anymore, and they overflowed and spilled down her face.

Sakura opened the door and gently pushed Ino, who had her face buried in her hands, into the hospital room.

"Hello…are you crying?" He said, looking up from his bland hospital food.

Ino broke into fresh sobs.

"Why are yo-," He started.

"He's dead," Ino cut him off.

"Dead? Who?"

"The funeral is next week," Ino said.

"Who died?" He pressed.

"Oh, Kiba," Ino said, throwing herself into his arms and sobbing on his shoulder, "Shino died, and it was all my fault."

**A/N: I scared you, didn't I?**


	19. As ready as I'll ever be

**A/N: Hey, Everybody. I would have had this up much sooner. But I was grounded for a week. Heh, sorry. Anyway, this is the final chapter, so everybody keep an eye out for the third story in the trilogy. It should be coming out soon. It's going to be called "The Beginning of Forever". **

**Dedication: I dedicate this chapter to the cute boy who smiled at me at the drive thru today.**

"Ino-chan."

Ino turned around to see Kiba standing behind her. She smiled at him faintly.

"Kiba-kun," She replied affectionately, patting the spot on the log beside her. He sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Ino leaned her head on his shoulder, looking down at the flower.

"I thought I'd find you here," Kiba said, also looking at the flower, "Your mom said that you were out thinking."

Ino didn't reply and the clearing was silent. Ino wondered, she'd wondered this a thousand times before, how the flower survived in the cool, shade of the tree-branch roof.

Sometimes, Ino liked to think that the flower represented her. That she was a small, beautiful flower somehow surviving in the darkness of the world. She never told anyone that, it sounded too cocky. Too egotistical.

"Ino, I'm worried about you," Kiba said, looking down at her. Ino kept her eyes on the flower, avoiding his gaze.

"I'm glad we didn't sell the flower. It's very beautiful," Ino said. Kiba frowned.

"I haven't seen you that much," Kiba continued.

"When I'm angry or nervous or anything, it calms me down, just seeing it," Ino said, seemingly ignoring him.

"Call me crazy, but I feel like you've been avoiding me," Kiba said, standing up and moving in front of flower, cutting Ino's view off. She looked away, out into the trees.

"I would never avoid you," Ino said, quietly. Kiba crossed his arms.

"This is my second time seeing you all week," Kiba said.

Ino sighed.

"Ok, maybe I _have _been avoiding you," Ino said, eyes pointed downward now. She felt Kiba's hand on her chin, and he gently turned her face to look at him. He was crazy-handsome in his black clothes.

"Why?" He asked. Ino felt tears prickling at her eyes.

"I-…," She started, but her voice died. She cleared her throat and tried again, "I…just felt that…you wouldn't want to see me anymore."

"What? Why wouldn't I want to see you?" Kiba asked, his canine-like eyes widening.

"It was all my fault," Ino said, the tears finally falling, "He died because of me!"

"It wasn't your fault," Kiba said, taking his hand off her chin and crouching in front of her.

"Yes, it was. If he hadn't been guarding me, he'd still be alive," Ino said, looking down and to the side.

"Ino, you didn't have any control over that!" Kiba objected.

"But I did," Ino whispered.

It was quiet for a few seconds. Kiba stared at her with such an intensity it was as if he was trying to see into her very soul.

"What do you mean?" He finally asked, breaking the silence.

"I should have stopped Naruto, telling him not to believe that dumb Yuri girl. I should have called for adult help. I shouldn't have tried to use my jutsu on Itachi. I made too many mistakes. And the cost was devastating. But the worst part is, other people are paying for my mistakes more than myself," Ino said, closing her eyes in the passion of her words.

Ino opened her eyes again when she felt Kiba put his hands on her black-covered legs, just above her knees, and lean forward.

"Ino, how can you blame yourself for that? You were just being the compassionate, strong girl you are. Naruto wouldn't have listened to you, and would have ran off anyway. Itachi would have just killed you if you didn't do anything. And Shino protected you on his own decision!" Kiba said.

"You should hate me," Ino said. No matter what Kiba said, she felt guilty.

"Ino! I don't hate you. Not at all," Kiba said, leaning in more and kissing her.

"Are you sure?" Ino asked, doubtfully, when he pulled back and removed his hands from her legs.

"Sure as I'll ever be," He said, plopping down next to her on the log again, "After the funeral, we'll start training."

Ino smiled widely.

"Itachi is going to pay," Ino said.

Kiba returned her smile and stood up.

"The funeral will be starting soon, are you ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Ino replied. Standing up and linking arms with him. And together they left the clearing, side by side. As they should be, forever.


	20. AN

**A/N: Hiya guys, This is just me, doing the whole author-note-at-the-end-of-the-story thing. So, yea, this is a trick chapter. Sorry about that. But there were a few questions that needed to be answered.**

**First off, someone was concerned that I was bringing in a new character to make a jealousy factor between Ino and Kiba. I can assure you, though it's a good idea, I'm not doing that. I just changed the info about the story from a random quote to more about the actual story. So no worries.**

**Second, this isn't the end. So, no need to be sad or worried. There is another story that is meant to be after this. The next story is the last story of the InoxKiba trilogy. And when the next story is done, I'm thinking of having some stories with the next generation. But I don't know. I already have names and everything (it took me a whole night) but I've only written one chapter for that. And it may only be one story. So, to end this rambling, this story line doesn't end here.**

**The next part of this story line is continued on in The Beginning of Forever. So far it's going to be about Ino and Kiba's quest to avenge poor Shino. They'll be after Yuri, and her sister (who had acted as her mother for the purpose of the mission), Any akatsuki member they can get, and Itachi. It's going to be very action-packed, but also have some romance that we all love. Basically, I have big plans for the next story. **

**So go on to the next installment of this series, and ENJOY!**

**Much love,**

**Mel-chan.**


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